Christmas has come early for Powys-born Sarah Perry, who has won the Omaze Great Escape House Draw.
Mrs Perry, who is originally from Llanfair Caereinion, has won an "idyllic" house in Powys, near Hay-on-Wye, worth £500,000.
The house, which comes fully furnished, boasts 3-bedrooms, a mezzanine study and a terrace overlooking four acres of private, wildflower meadowland.
The 1,300-square-foot property also comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered.
Not only does Mrs Perry win the house as part of the Omaze draw, but also £50,000 in cash.
📣 ANNOUNCING OUR GREAT ESCAPE HOUSE DRAW WINNER 📣 Sarah Perry from Reading will be returning to her roots after winning the keys to a £500K House in her home country. 🏴 Want to be a winner? Enter the #OmazeHouseDraw, The Wirral, Now 👉 https://t.co/adsU1hEAu8 pic.twitter.com/WHhRJ2BgE9
— Omaze UK (@OmazeUK) November 22, 2024
"Christmas has come early" says Omaze Great Escape House Draw winner
Mrs Perry said “Christmas has come early” for her family this year after landing the big Omaze Great Escape House Draw win.
Her husband, Richard, was left “flabbergasted” by the news as he had no idea she had entered the draw.
He revealed he was “more than a little surprised" when Omaze turned up to announce they'd won.
An ecstatic Mrs Perry said: “I got the call from Omaze and was a little dubious at first, you just never think you’ll be the one that wins something like this so my first instinct was it must be a windup.
“I just couldn't believe it when Omaze arrived on the driveway and told me I’d won the house - I was shocked - but my husband was utterly flabbergasted as he had no idea I’d even entered! He said it was the best surprise we’ve ever had.
“We’ve had a nice bottle of Welsh whisky in the cupboard for years, which would’ve been very appropriate to celebrate with but we didn’t have a chance to crack into it as due to all the excitement we’d forgotten to feed the kids!
"So, we ended up celebrating by going out for a lovely steak dinner instead.”
The pair visited their new home, after finding out they had won, and described the property as "absolutely amazing" and "even nicer in real life".
Mrs Perry added: "With all the snow today, the house looked like a Christmas card. When we walked up the drive and saw it, I had to check the date as I thought it was December 25th already!
"Christmas has certainly come early for us this year. We’re still pinching ourselves - the whole thing is just so surreal!
“This win has changed our retirement plans, and definitely moved things forward a bit. The win and the fifty thousand pounds just takes the pressure off - and all for just £30!”
"Always dreamed of having a place here" - Sarah Perry excited about returning to Powys
Mrs Perry originally hails from Llanfair Caereinion, but moved to England in her 20s.
She and Mr Perry have two sons aged 13 and 9 and have lived in their current house in Reading for 12 years.
Following the win, Mrs Perry said she is now excited to be moving back to Powys.
She commented: "I’m from Wales and my family still live in Powys, I was actually on my way there to stay with my sister when Omaze came knocking. Now I've got this place, she can come and stay at our place for a change!
“Since I moved away, I try to get back as often as I can, and always dreamed of having a place here one day - this win means I can now return to my roots, it really is a dream come true!
“I work in London a lot - so to have such an amazing place in the countryside to escape to with my family, where I grew up, is fantastic - our sons are going to love all this space - who knows, they might even pick up the accent!
“All my family are over the moon about the fact I have a house here now, my farmer brother-in-law already has his eyes on the back meadow for his sheep!”
Omaze draw helps raise money for Scouts
Not only has the Omaze draw changed the life of the Perry family and helped reunite Sarah with her Welsh routes, but it has also raised money for Scouts.
Mrs Perry said: “I’ve been volunteering for the Scouts for 7 years, and our sons have both been through Beavers and Cubs, with the oldest now in Scouts.
"The movement has had a really positive impact on them, so I’m thrilled Omaze is raising money for Scouts - they are a huge part of our lives.”
Omaze's Mike Longden added: “Everyone at Omaze is delighted that Sarah has won our first home in Wales, and can enjoy returning to her roots.
“By offering this stunning rural retreat, along with £50,000 in cash, Omaze gives people the chance to win a life-changing prize, whilst also raising money for charities, such as Scouts.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here