Gordon Playford of Swanton Novers, the Norfolk country cottages millionaire, has scooped the main prize of £17 million pounds in the EuroMillions lottery.

The somewhat eccentric Mr Playford, who still lives in a local authority house – formerly occupied by his parents for over 40 years – seemed unexcited by the win.  When asked by an Eastern Daily Press reporter if the win would change his life, Mr Playford replied, “No.”  When asked if he might move to a bigger house and change his 1956 Hillman Minx for a new car, he replied, ‘Why?”

The Playford property empire was begun in the 1950s when the present Mr Playford’s father started to buy Norfolk cottages in poor repair for just a few hundred pounds each.  As a result of his father’s foresight Mr Playford now owns dozens of properties in West and North Norfolk, said to be worth some £30 million pounds in total.