A HEREFORD millionaire is investing his big-money lottery win into the local area, five years on from his win allowed him to go on lavish holidays with his friends.

The National Lottery is marking its 25th anniversary today, and Matt Myles is one of more than 5,550 millionaires created since 1994.

He has now featured as part of a Vanity Fair-inspired photoshoot alongside 25 other winners to celebrate the National Lottery’s 25th birthday.

The photograph, shot by celebrity photographer Sven Arnstein, features some of the biggest winners from the 5,500 millionaires that have now been created by the National Lottery games.

With more than £110m between them, the lucky lottery players shared tips and revealed just how much their lives had been changed by the win.

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National Lottery Senior Winner’s Advisor Andy Carter, who has paid more than a billion pounds in prizes to lucky players over the past decade said: “The National Lottery has been making amazing things happen for 25 years.

“These are just a tiny fraction of some of the lucky players who have won life-changing sums of money over the past 25 years.

“We have all had the ‘when I win the lottery’ conversation, but these lucky people are now living out their dreams.

“And we have learnt over the years that our players are a generous lot too.

“From research we have discovered that 11 per cent of winners have made additional millionaires or multi-millionaires through kind donations to family and friends.

“In addition, more than 91 per cent tell us that they have donated time or money to charities close to their hearts, meaning the benefit of every big win is reaching far and wide.”

Matt Myles said he suffered a panic attack when he was presented with a £1 million cheque after winning the EuroMillions raffle in 2014.

The 33-year-old said he immediately quit his job and flew to Bali with seven friends on what was the “first of many lads’ holidays”.

“It’s given me the capability of having my own home, ridiculous cars and financial freedom,” Mr Myles said.

“It was in the third year (after the win) I got serious with my now fiancée. We went travelling to south-east Asia and we found out while travelling she was pregnant.”

After the news he was going to become a father, Mr Myles said he had to give up his bachelor lifestyle and buy a family home and car, instead of a two-seat sports car.

After holidays to destinations such as Dubai, he realised that he needed to invest the winnings.

“I realised I had to grow up instead of just spending,” he added.

“Hereford is a great place to buy property. I sold high, got lucky and made it all back.”

Mr Myles also bought into a luxury car franchise, which he said will support the local economy when he moves into a unit in Rotherwas.

The AMC Prestige Cars Ltd franchise deals with car brands such as Ferrari, McLaren and Bugatti.

He added: “I bought it in February 2018 after my little one was born. With the new unit we can hold stock, as at the minute it’s just an office.”

He hopes to be able to increase the size of the workforce from the one full-time position at the minute once the company has moved.

Other lottery winners from the county include a factory worker who vowed to take early retirement and sample the ‘high life’ after he discovered he was the sole winner of a £71,057,439 EuroMillions Jackpot in March 2019.

Ade Goodchild, who bought his ticket from the Co-operative store on Ledbury Road, Hereford, said he was going to hand his notice in at Special Metals Wiggin.

Tuesday (November 19) marked 25 years since the first draw was broadcast live on a BBC One show hosted by Noel Edmonds, with more than one million winning tickets.