'It just feels incredible' - Whitby man's £475,000 radio call win

John Suddick (66) had entered the station’s Cash Dash competition earlier in the week with a simple call in a bid to win £475,000.

Gemma delivered the epic news in the emotional call to reveal that almost half a million pounds would be in his bank account within the hour.

While out with his friend’s five-month-old puppy Lizzy, a flabbergasted John was almost speechless, before regaining his composure to chat with Gemma about what the win would mean for him.

John explains: “It was so bizarre as I had been out on the walk and had been thinking about how I was going to cope money-wise moving forwards.

"I’ve worked for myself and others on and off for past 20 years and never took out a private pension or gave much consideration as to how I would get by in retirement – I very much lived for the day.”

John, who lives on his own in Whitby, has enjoyed a long and varied working life, culminating in a job which incorporates his lifelong love of sailing with meeting people from all backgrounds and walks of life - as a skipper of a boat taking tourists on day trips from Whitby harbour.

He said: “In the moment that I took that phone call, it was like all my worries and cares about the future simply vanished into thin air.

"I had been so worried as my current work is very seasonal and it’s often been a struggle to make ends meet, let alone plan for the future.

“It has always been a dream of mine to buy a boat of my own and sail it to the Greek islands, but I gave up on that a long time ago due to my financial situation.

"Now, it’s a real possibility again and it just feels incredible.”

Not usually someone to take a call from an unknown number, John picked up the phone as he had just made a small charity donation online after seeing a recent online appeal and thought it may be them calling to discuss his payment details.

“I’m not able to afford to give a lot, but I have always tried to support people less fortunate than myself.

"Now, I’m grateful that I’ll also be able to do more to help and that’s a gift I thought I would never be in a position to give.

"I like to think this will help balance and pay forward my good fortune.”