EX-BINMAN William Whitehead cleaned up with a £120,717 National Lottery jackpot and declared: "I always knew I would be a winner."

William, 63, of Nelson, scooped the prize on Wednesday night by matching five numbers plus the bonus ball -- then calmly went to bed.

His biggest problem was convincing wife Myra, 70, that their numbers had come up.

The draw brought up the number 1, 2, 3, 8, 30 and 37 and bonus number 19. William matched all except number 3.

"Myra didn't believe it until I showed her the winning combination in the newspaper the next day," said William, who worked in Pendle Council's cleansing department for 35 years before ill-health forced early retirement two years' ago.

There was a champagne celebration at Nelson post office where William bought the winning ticket, using the same numbers, based on birthdays and anniversaries, he had jotted down each week since the lottery began. "I always had a special feeling they would come up one day. When I have that feeling, things always come true. So the win came as no surprise."

Now the couple, who have no children, are planning a holiday in Spain, only their second trip abroad. They prefer to spend their breaks in Blackpool.

There will be no fancy new car in the pipeline for William who never had a desire to drive.

"I refused to learn to drive when I was in the Army and they put me on a charge," he recalls.

The couple, who enjoy gardening, bird-watching and a regular Saturday night out at the local British Legion club, have no firm plans to spend the cash.

William said: "We will just sit back, relax, and think about it."