Forth Valley College Kitchen Supervisor brought the house down last week when she scooped the top prize in a UK wide bingo game.
Julie Meiklejohn (53) from Stirling – who works in the Alloa campus refectory – won £270,212 while playing with her friends at her regular Monday night game (30 January) at the Carlton Bingo Club in her home town.
Julie, said:
“Once you have shouted ‘House’ you have 30 minutes to wait until all the results from all over the UK. My friend said to me that I would be in with a great chance as I had completed my card in only 43 calls and my heart started pumping as the most I had ever won was about £400.
“When it was announced I was so overcome with emotion. The place was in uproar and everyone went crazy because I was local and had been going there with my four friends every Monday for 20 years…I actually cried!
“I am not sure what I will be doing with the money yet, but I have two sons and two grandsons, so I am sure I will be spending some of it on them. It has not quite sunk in yet and might take me a while to comprehend that I have won.
“I texted my husband Gordon when I knew I had won and he thought I had put too many noughts in the figure! The Carlton Bingo Hall have been brilliant and they are putting a party night on for me to present me with the cheque.
“In fact everyone has been over the moon for me especially here at the college and that’s why I love working here.”
Andrew Lawson, Associate Principal at Forth Valley College, said:
“We are all delighted for Julie. She is a valued member of our staff at the Alloa Campus and this win couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”