'Our very own Downton Abbey': West Midlands grandfather wins £4.5m six-bedroom house

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.

“I never imagined a £25 ticket would turn into this. I’ve entered things my whole life and the only thing we’d ever won before was two tickets to a concert that ended up being cancelled anyway! I can’t get my head around the fact I’ve won something so special - it’s like our very own Downton Abbey.

“Everything about this house is special, even the pool house looks more like an actual house, it’s almost as big as our first flat!

“Now we have our own tennis court, I suppose I should probably work on my serve!

“Our grandchildren will love exploring and having adventures here, it will be one giant playground for them - although we might need walkie talkies to keep track of them! It’s going to be an extra special Christmas this year.

“To be honest, I was already having a good week as Arsenal had just beaten Spurs - and then Omaze came knocking. So, a great few days, but winning the house definitely tops it!”

On the impact for his family, he said: “We love big family gatherings, and now we’ve got the perfect house to bring everyone together. It’s our 40th wedding anniversary next year, and I think we’ve found the perfect venue for a party.

“Long term we don’t know what we’ll do yet, but we’re definitely going to enjoy this incredible place as a family before we make any decisions. We’re very excited, whatever we decide to do, it will have a massive impact on our lives.

“The £500,000 means if we wanted to, we could actually afford to stay here for years, it’s fantastic to have that option.”

“I’m so proud to be part of the Omaze Community that raised so much for Refuge.”

Ian’s new home is approached via a sweeping driveway, the property opens into a double-height reception hall complete with a grand fireplace. The ground floor offers ample living and entertaining spaces, including a dining room, lounge, snug with bar area, as well an office and boot room.

The show-stopping kitchen is centred around an inglenook fireplace, has high-end appliances, is flooded with natural light and opens directly onto the gardens through three sets of floor-to-ceiling French doors.

Designed for both family living and entertaining, the space combines country character with modern convenience, flowing seamlessly into the surrounding terraces and outdoor dining areas.

The first floor features a luxurious main bedroom suite with emperor bed, walk-in wardrobe, en suite bathroom and private views over the grounds. Five further bedrooms, each with its own en suite, provide ample accommodation for his friends and family.

A separate two-bedroom courtyard flat with its own kitchen and living space offers additional accommodation for Ian’s guests.

Leisure facilities are replete throughout the estate, including an outdoor swimming pool with pool house complete with its own kitchen, a tennis court, wine cellar, boating lake with boathouse, and equestrian amenities including an American barn with stables, outdoor arena and horse walker.

The 16-acre grounds feature mature gardens, paddocks, a state-of-the-art greenhouse and even a cascading waterfall that flows into the lake.

Nestled in the Vale of Mowbray, Ian’s estate enjoys far-reaching views and a peaceful countryside setting, with Richmond, Bedale, Northallerton and Darlington all close by.

£1m raised for Refuge

As well as Ian winning a multi-million pound property, Omaze partnered with Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic abuse charity, which supports survivors through emergency refuge accommodation, community based services and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

Every year, Refuge answers around 50,000 calls and contacts through its 24-hour, 7-day-a-week helpline. Refuge also provides safe housing for around 1,500 women and their children each year, offering wraparound support to help families regain independence.

The guaranteed £1 million donation from the Omaze Community will help Refuge provide more standalone safe homes and specialist support for women and their children escaping abuse, enabling more families to rebuild their lives free from fear.

The campaign was backed by comedian and Refuge Supporter Sara Pascoe.

Sara said: “What an incredible result! Thanks to the fabulous Omaze community, Refuge will receive a guaranteed £1 million to help provide more safe, accessible accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse.

“This funding will go towards providing self-contained homes for those who aren’t able to access communal refuges, including those with disabilities, larger families, older sons, or much-loved pets, and could help as many as 60 families over the next five years.

“A massive congratulations to Ian and his family, who will now have a stunning new home to enjoy. This campaign has helped shine a light on the hidden reality of domestic abuse and will support survivors to rebuild their lives, free from fear.”

James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is delighted that Ian has won this very special property in Yorkshire, whilst also helping to raise £1 million for Refuge. Omaze offers people the chance to win incredible homes like Ian’s, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn't normally reach, it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners. We’re immensely proud that the Omaze Community has now raised over £100 million for good causes across the UK.”

Omaze is now pledging over £40 million a year for UK charities through a series of independent philanthropic grants, helping to deliver long term impact for good causes across the country.

Lake District house draw

Draw entries for the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Lake District, are available now at omaze.co.uk. The Grand Prize Draw closes on Boxing Day Friday December 26 2025 for online entries and Tuesday December 30 2025 for postal entries.

In addition to the Grand Prize, anyone entering by midnight on Sunday December 14 2025 (Tuesday December 16 2025 by post) will also be in with the chance to win an incredible Early Bird Prize of £1,000,000 in cash.

Entrants can also subscribe for best-value bundles and automatic entry into every monthly House, Early Bird and Omaze Monthly Millionaire Draw.