Emily Ward won a striking £4m home in Cheshire where famous residents past and present include Cristiano Ronaldo and Sir David Bckham – but her husband initially thought they had won a lifetime supply of sausages
A man who thought his wife had won a lifetime supply of sausages was shocked to discover she had actually won a £4m property. Emily Ward, 48, is now the proud owner of a striking four-bedroom home in the exclusive Alderley Edge Conservation Area – a hotbed for Premier League footballers and celebrities in Cheshire’s Golden Triangle.
Her new home – won in the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw – comes complete with panoramic countryside views, a full indoor leisure suite and landscaped gardens.
Emily said: “At first, my husband thought we’d won a lifetime supply of sausages, but then we realised it was actually a £4 million house instead, now that’s a real banger.
Famous residents past and present include Cristiano Ronaldo, Sir David and Victoria Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy. Alderley Edge offers countryside calm and Premier League prestige-earning it the reputation as the Beverly Hills of the North.
Emily’s new home comes mortgage-free, with all legal fees covered. and an additional £250K in cash to help her settle in.
When Omaze first arrived at Emily’s house to tell her that they’d scooped a prize, she and husband Richard, 60, were out buying tent pegs for a new campervan, so neighbours reached out to her.
Emily, from Devon, added: “One of the Omaze team had a sandwich on their t-shirt – so the neighbour thought I’d won a lifetime supply of food. They posted in the WhatsApp group and I replied, ‘If it’s not Omaze or Premium Bonds, I’m not interested.’ A few minutes later, Omaze were on the doorstep.”
An overjoyed Emily added: “My husband thought we might have won a lifetime’s supply of sausages – which he was genuinely thrilled about. Winning this house is more a case of bangers and cash. I said we can cook all the sausages he wants in the new house, so my husband is doubly happy.
“To celebrate, we went to the pub that night and then for a nice dinner with friends the next evening, where we splashed out on a special bottle of champagne! My jaw hurts because I haven’t stopped smiling since we found out.
“When I told my friends, they were so happy for us but just kept saying ‘you’re joking’ no one could believe it. I still don’t think I believe it.”
On her new house, Emily said: “The house is spectacular – I can see why it’s so popular with millionaire footballers. It’s crazy to think that I might bump into Wayne or Coleen Rooney when popping out for a pint of milk.
“The house has got everything you could ever possibly want-a swimming pool, sauna, gym, wine store, incredible countryside views-It’s definitely in the premier league of houses. We can’t wait to jump into the pool and test out the sauna – I wish I’d brought my costume.”
And although Emily and Richard haven’t decided whether to sell or keep the house yet, she added: “We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a family holiday – maybe we’ll enjoy a big Christmas up here.
“We’re so excited to experience a house like this because it’s not the kind of place you get to visit everyday, let alone own. Whatever we decide to do long-term, winning this house has changed all our lives forever, it’s an incredible feeling.”
Emily, who has worked in the same career for 25 years, had always dreamed of scaling back on work to spend more quality time with her husband, their children and the family dogs – but didn’t imagine it would ever become a reality.
“People say that money can’t buy time, but winning a house worth millions means we can finally work less and spend more time together,” says Emily. This win will give us the freedom to go on adventures. We’d actually just bought a campervan to try and go away more as a family – it’s fair to say winning this house is a bit of an upgrade on a campervan.”
The couple, who have a large family between them – Richard has three grown-up children in their 30s and four grandchildren – are looking forward to hosting in the luxury kitchen and stunning outdoor terrace area.
She added: “This win means we can think about cutting back on work and just enjoying spending more time as a family. I’ve always said if I ever won something like this, I’d focus on enjoying life properly. Now that dream’s suddenly a reality.
“It means I can finally take a breath after 25 years of working flat out. It’s not just a win, it gives us so many incredible opportunities for the future. It changes everything – not just for us, but for our children too.
“Thanks to the £250,000 we also get as part of our win, we could afford to stay here for years if we decided to. Or maybe we’ll rent it out to a new Man City signing?
“All of this for just £25 – it’s unbelievable! The only thing I’d won before was a bottle of orange squash in the tombola at the kid’s school fair, I didn’t even win the wine.”
Emily’s striking new home combines bold modern architecture with elegant natural finishes- featuring dramatic cantilevers, walls of glass and recessed balconies-offering more than 6,300 sq ft of light-filled living space across three floors.
The expansive layout includes a capacious, double-height living room, with a floor-to-ceiling glazed wall providing Emily with uninterrupted views across the Cheshire countryside. A wraparound, south-facing terrace connects directly to the landscaped gardens below.
On the first floor, the custom-built kitchen includes a range of high-end Miele appliances and opens onto the main entertaining level-perfect for Emily to host friends and family.
On the ground floor, a full leisure suite features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym with dedicated changing facilities. There’s also a walk-in wine store, as well as a fourth bedroom with additional shower room – ideal for when Emily has guests to stay.
On the second floor is the principal bedroom suite, complete with an en suite bathroom and large dressing room overlooking the garden- alongside two further en suite bedrooms.
Outside, Emily’s Cheshire red sandstone home sits on a private road and spans more than half an acre of beautifully landscaped gardens, featuring terraced lawns and herbaceous borders. A path leads to a standalone home office tucked into a secluded corner of the garden- offering Emily a peaceful spot to work or unwind.
As well as making Emily a multimillionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Cheshire, raised £3.7 million for Anthony Nolan. This latest campaign sees Omaze reach £100 million raised in total for UK charities since launching in 2020.
Anthony Nolan is a pioneering UK charity that matches stem cell donors to people with blood cancer or blood disorders. It also funds world-leading research and provides vital support for patients and families.
The money raised will help fund the Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre in Nottingham-delivering lifesaving transplants to patients faster.
Henny Braund MBE, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan said: “The £3.7 million will mean the running costs of the Cell Collection Centre will be covered for the next 18 months – providing 1,850 urgently needed lifesaving stem cell donations, each one giving a patient more time with the people they love – and ultimately 1,850 more chances to save a life.”
The partnership was backed by Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman CBE, a long-time patron of the charity, who supported the campaign in memory of her friend Pip.
James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Emily has won this spectacular home in Cheshire’s Golden Triangle, whilst also helping to raise £3.7 million for Anthony Nolan.
“This campaign is a particularly proud moment for us, as it sees Omaze surpass £100 million raised for UK charities since launching just five years ago. From life-saving medical research to grassroots community projects, that money is making a profound difference right across the country.”
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