Omaze house winner overjoyed despite planning issue

A woman said she felt "pure joy" on finding out she had won a £6m house in a charity raffle, allowing her and her family to move out of her in-laws' home.

Vicky Curtis-Cresswell from South Wales won the luxury Norfolk property, which is at the centre of a planning dispute.

Omaze, which ran the competition in partnership with Comic Relief, previously said it was working with North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) regarding recommendations about the property.

The 41-year-old said: "I was absolutely flabbergasted. My sister in-law burst out crying; it was a mixture of shock and pure joy."

Ms Curtis-Cresswell, her husband and daughter had been searching for a rental property while living at her in-laws' three-bedroom house.

"In a matter of seconds our lives changed forever and we became multi-millionaires," she said.

"My mother-in-law feels like she's won the jackpot as we can now move out!

"It's just crazy. One week we're worrying about our old car breaking down, the next thing we've got a £6m house."

The former Miss Wales finalist plans to sell the property in Blakeney and buy a house in Wales.

"We'll be having a big party in Norfolk before we sell up. We can't wait to invite all our friends and family," she added.

The council began investigating the seaside home after an anonymous member of the public raised concerns, saying it had not been built to the approved designs.

It is understood the council had given Omaze a deadline of Wednesday to respond to a list of requirements, and the council confirmed it had received a response.

A spokesperson for the council said: "No formal action will be taken whilst the matter is being actively progressed."

Omaze previously said: "Omaze reiterates that it guarantees no house winner would ever have to incur any costs whatsoever to remedy any historical planning issue."

It said the prize draw had raised £4m for Comic Relief.

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