A Caerphilly lottery winner has treated himself and two friends to a £6,600 trip down under to watch the British and Irish Lions on tour.
Alun Jones, 27, who scooped £1.1million in January, has splashed out on the trip for friends Paul Duggan and Johnny Rogers.
The former health and safety administrator, who left his job at a Nantgarw firm after the windfall, will be hoping to catch lions of a different sort with a trip to Africa lined up in July.
In February this year, Alun paid off the mortgage on the family home he shares with mum Portland, 51, and dad Raymond, 59. In March he bought a new Jaguar XF.
Alun, Paul and Johnny will be flying out to Australia to watch the second and third tests in the rugby series. The three friends will combine the trip with a visit to Paul’s relatives.
Paul, an insurance claims handler, said: “We had always planned on saving up to be able to go out on the next Lions tour in 2017, so are really looking forward to this.”
Alun said: “It’s been a great year so far and we’re really looking forward to getting away. We’ve always been big Wales rugby fans and will stay with Paul’s relatives on the Sunshine coast in between tests.
“They live close to the Lions’ training camp in Noosa, so we’re hoping to be able to get photos with them to really make the trip. It’s great that my win means we can join this tour instead of waiting another four years.”