CHRISTMAS has come early for one lucky family thanks a £500 cash boost from the Grimsby Telegraph.
Lucy Philps, 40, of the Willows estate, won the Go To Town This Christmas prize draw, which was held as part of the two-day festive extravaganza organised by the Telegraph, North East Lincolnshire Council and Freshney Place.
People queued at the Grimsby Telegraph market stall to enter the draw – and Lucy's was the first name out of the hat.
She said: "I went along to the event because we knew there would be reindeer and my daughter thought they were going to be fake ones.
"I left my two kids with a couple of friends while I went and joined the queue for the draw.
"Now that I have won, I will be buying the friends a bottle of wine each!"
Lucy, who is a team leader with care service Navigo, said the cash could not have come at a better time for her to treat her son Ben, 4, and daughter Georgia, 10.
She added: "I had not even started my Christmas shopping because there was no spare cash and I was waiting to get paid next month before getting started. This has taken a great strain off me. I will finally be able to get my husband, Mark, something for Christmas because as parents we usually go without."
Lucy said she will take Mark on a gift-buying trip to an electrical store because of his love of gadgets and home entertainment.
She also plans to get herself a new outfit, as well as buying a few surprises for their children, with Ben being keen on toy trains and Georgia hoping for a scooter.
