'Our very own Downton Abbey': West Midlands grandfather wins £4.5m six-bedroom house
Watch as West Midlands couple Ian and Viv Roberts explore their new £4.5m home which they won in an Omaze draw.
A West Midlands grandfather of three has won the keys to a spectacular six-bedroom Yorkshire country house worth £4,500,000, plus £500,000 in cash, astonishing his wife, who had no idea he’d even entered the competition.
Ian Roberts, 66, who currently lives in Warwickshire, has won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw and is now the proud owner of a magnificent property complete with a boating lake, swimming pool, tennis court and equestrian facilities - exclaiming it’s his “very own Downton Abbey”.
His new estate sits within 16 acres of landscaped gardens and rolling paddocks, with panoramic views across the Vale of Mowbray towards the Yorkshire Moors.
The luxurious home comes mortgage free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. Ian has also been given £500,000 in cash to help him settle in, and can choose to either live in the house, rent it out for supplementary income, or sell up whenever he wishes.
If Ian decides to keep the stunning property, the £500,000 would enable him to run the house for many years. If he decides to rent it out, local estate agents estimate that the property could achieve a long term rental value of around £10,000 per month.
Ian, who bought his £4.5 million winning entry for just £25 as part of his Omaze subscription, retired after more than 30 years working in London.
He and his wife Viv, also 66, recently moved to Warwickshire, having previously lived in London for almost 40 years. They have three children in their mid-thirties and three grandchildren aged five and under.
When Omaze first contacted Ian to tell him he had scooped a prize, he almost didn’t pick up.
Ian said: “When I got the call, the last thing on my mind was winning a spectacular six-bedroom house, our main focus was just on cooking dinner for our friends. We almost didn’t pick up as we were in the middle of chopping carrots.
“When I answered, the person on the other end of the line said I’d won an Omaze prize, I thought they were having me on!
“When I opened the door and saw the cameras, I thought maybe the best case scenario could be a car or a cash prize.
“Then the next thing we knew, I’m the owner of an amazing mansion in Yorkshire. We were completely bowled over, just in total disbelief. I’m not sure it will ever sink in.
“My wife didn’t even know I’d entered, so she was doubly surprised! We told the immediate family, all 14 of them! They couldn’t believe it either, they were all convinced we were winding them up.
