A group of builders proved they were true grafters by vowing to carry on working, despite scooping more than £200,000 each on the National Lottery.

The 15 men from the Wantage area said the windfall would not go to their hard-hatted heads and vowed to continue turning up for work.

They are members of a syndicate which won a £3,125,000 share of last Saturday's £25m Superdraw, which celebrated the Lottery's fourth birthday.

The men, who all work for builders Hooks and Haines, in Wantage, have been playing the Lottery since it started.

They cemented their win by breaking open bottles of champagne at a press conference in Birmingham yesterday, but most said they had not yet made plans for spending their share.

Labourer Paul Dawson said he would be using part of his £208,333 to trade in his van for a new Porsche 911 sports car. The 23-year-old, from Faringdon, said he would also consider ditching his dirty overalls for designer labels.

He said: "I love the top names but until now I have had to scrimp and save to buy them. But not any more.

"The gear I wear for work is hardly the most trendy so I will seriously consider turning up in something a bit more hip in future."

Syndicate leader Michael Haines, 38, of Grove, one of the three partners in the firm, said his first thought was making sure he could find the ticket after another member called him with the good news.

He said: "I was in total shock when I found the numbers matched, but realised I had left the ticket in the front of the van.

"I was straight out there looking for it and kept it under my pillow until we got everything confirmed."

He said at first he was worried his workforce would all resign after getting their winnings. "I went into work thinking the bosses would be the only ones there. But luckily, the lads have all decided to stay put which is music to my ears. They are all hard workers so I think they deserve the money. In fact they are a lot like the stars of that new television show Grafters."

The whole company was involved in the syndicate apart from two secretaries, Wendy Haines and Mandy Hook.

Luckily, they are married to partners in the firm and will be enjoying their husbands' success.

The winners included six men from East Challow - Barry Eltham, 51, Stephen Crook, 22, Jason Hale, 22, Anthony Evans, 58, Alan Crook, 48, and Geoff Haines, 26. The others were John Fairchild, 57, of Lambourn, Anthony Roberts, 63, of East Hanney, Harry Connolly, 43, of Harwell, Wilfred Lambert, 43, of Wantage, Paul Hook, 31, of Steventon, Sean Dorrian, 24, of Wantage, and Mike Hook, 31, of Wantage.

The winning numbers were 7, 9, 17, 22, 38 and 39. The bonus number was 47.

Eight ticket-holders shared the £25m jackpot.

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