THEY say money can change people but not, it would seem, pensioners Stan and Pat Cable.

Simon Tomlinson

THEY say money can change people but not, it would seem, pensioners Stan and Pat Cable.

For life has changed very little for the couple, who have been married for nearly 40 years, since their �3.9million National Lottery win.

Despite scooping the jackpot in May last year, the couple have had no grander plans than to buy their council house in Eye - and even admit to still being worried about money.

“We're still exactly the same people as we were before, but now we can afford the things that we really want,” said Stan, 64, whose first major purchase was a new caravan for their regular trips to the north Norfolk coast and a four-wheeled drive car to tow it.

The retired council worker added: “We didn't have any spare cash at all and we were just keeping our heads above water. The silly thing is we still worry about money.”

Far from wanting a new mansion, the couple, who had lived on benefits for 10 years prior to their windfall, are quite happy where they are and hope to buy the council house in which they have lived for the last 28 years.

Although Pat, 61, admits to desiring a seafront home, she said: “Why would I want to move away from where all my friends are?”

Instead, she has splashed out on her first ever car. And despite being told off by Stan for buying a handbag and purse for �135 because it was “too much”, she has now added three or four others to her collection.

They have also purchased a new sofa - only their third in 39 years of married life.

The couple were among a gathering of the region's biggest winners yesterday to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the National Lottery.

The event, hosted at Parklands Quendon Hall Hotel in Essex, was attended by Avis King and Brenda Cleverley, who were part of a Tesco syndicate in Sudbury who won �7,500,000 in Sept 2006.

Appearances were also made by Stephanie Spindler and daughter Terri from Lowestoft who won �2,192, 219 in Dec 2006, and Graham and Christine Howlett, also from Lowestoft, who scooped �2,248,311 in July 2004.

A spokeswoman for the National Lottery said: “The East of England has always been an exceptionally lucky area to live, playing host to two of the luckiest postcodes in the country - Ilford and Romford.

“It has been a great day catching up with winners whose lives have been transformed by their windfall.”

240 millionaires have been created in the East of England since the National Lottery was launched in November 1994.

�1,055,512,025 has been paid out in major prizes in the region.

�35.4 billion in prize money has been paid across all National Lottery games

�23 billion has been raised for the Good Causes in the last 15 years - around �25 million every week.

38 is the most frequently drawn main ball, having been drawn 251 times since its launch - 25 and 31 are the second and third most frequently drawn main balls.

13 is officially the unluckiest ball number, having been drawn the least number of times.

21,785,500 people tuned in to watch the first National Lottery live show on 19 November 1994.