A ROCHFORD woman’s life was changed forever after striking lucky on a £3million scratchcard.

The regular customer at Sainsbury’s Local in West Street, Rochford, was so overcome with emotion when she scratched off one of only eight of the winning £10 National Lottery scratchcards on Wednesday afternoon that the store’s manager took her into his office to help her calm down.

It comes less than 72 hours after Tesco Express in London Road, Leigh, was told one of its customers had won £1million on a National Lottery scratchcard – totting up its total number of big wins to five, including one for £4million.

Sainsbury’s Local manager Jim Clarke, 52, said he and staff at the store were delighted a customer had made such a life-changing win.

He said: “She purchased the card at about 1.30pm and went out to the car park, where she must have scratched it, and a few lines down there was that wonderful £3million written on the card.

“She came back and a colleague working on the desk called me out of my office – I think he was as surprised as she was. To say she was in a state of shock would be an understatement, so I took her to my office, where she was getting quite emotional.

“I rang through to the Lottery and gave them the winning number, then passed the phone back to the customer to be given the happy news and, when she had calmed down slightly, I put the card in an envelope for her and wished her the best.”

He added the woman was a well-known customer in the store.

He said: “She’s a local customer and is quite regular – this changes people’s lives and I’m very happy for her.

“We’ve never had a win this big before and there are only eight chances to win £3million – so that’s £10 well invested, I would say.

“She said she will still pop in, but hopefully she will take her time and leave it a few weeks, as it’s a such a major life changing experience.

“All of us wish her well and hope it makes her happy.”