EuroMillions winner reveals the first thing he bought when cash hit his bank account

A EuroMillions winner had to rely on foodbanks before his winnings hit his bank account, and has revealed the first thing he bought with the money.

Pete Daly, 71, picked up £582.20 in the draw in July but, 33 days later, there was still no sign of the money. Due to the delay in payment, he was forced to use food banks, and could not afford a haircut or a new pair of much needed new shoes.

Pete, from Pensby, Wirral, used his monthly cash to pay off his car insurance, believing his winnings would keep him financially stable. But when the money didn't arrive, he found himself in a difficult situation.

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He told the ECHO: "When I found out I had won I paid my car insurance off with my entire cash for the month because I was thinking this money would come in to keep me afloat for the month.

""I got the letter through the post at 3 o'clock [on September 12], but that's when the banks shut so I had to pay it into a machine outside. I'd gone straight down. I've spent half my winnings already, the other half has to last me until I get my pension in a fortnight. It has been a relief since I got it, I've got my new shoes and a haircut."

"I've been living in food banks all month because it hasn't come in, I can't afford a haircut, I need new shoes. I can't afford anything because I paid for the car insurance thinking I'd get this money within 10 days.

"I'm stuck in the house, I can't afford to go anywhere, I can't afford the waste of fuel. I need this money, I'm struggling, money is the difference to being able to live, it sorts me to be able to live, not living well, but living."

A spokesperson for Allwyn, the lottery operator, expressed regret over the issue, stating: "We're very sorry to hear the concerns raised and colleagues have now called Mr Daly with an update. We successfully process hundreds sometimes thousands of prize claims every week.

"This is following the introduction of a revised claims process that we had to bring in earlier this year following the Post Office's decision to no longer pay National Lottery retail prizes between £500.01 and £50,000. Unfortunately, a small number of these claims are delayed for various reasons. However, we're continuing to work on new ways to help further improve the claims process and would like to reassure our winners that they will definitely receive their prize."