'Huge issue meant we had to put £3m Omaze house up for sale weeks after winning'

A lucky couple who won big with a £25 lottery ticket landed themselves a breathtaking £3million mansion in Cornwall, only to put the palatial home back up for sale at £4million mere weeks later, citing unaffordable upkeep costs.

Uttam Parmar, 58, from Leicestershire, hit the jackpot by snatching the impressive residence that offers sweeping views of the Camel Estuary and boasts celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay as a neighbour, on August 12. He listed it on October 8, with eyes on a hefty return.

Besides the grand property, the Parmars' win included a handy £50,000 cash prize, and the house came mortgage-free with stamp duty and legal costs all settled. However, Uttam and his wife Raki, 53, are looking to sell just eight weeks after their windfall – contrary to earlier inklings they might hold onto it.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

The pair have decided to retreat to their life in Leicestershire, forgoing the option to keep the Cornish estate as a secondary retreat. They had considered maintaining their other spacious, modern red-brick detached house, tucked pleasantly away in a serene close in Appleby Magna.

Speaking to The Mail Online about his reasons for selling the prized property, Uttam said: "It is a fantastic house in a beautiful Cornish location but the price of it comes with a price to keep it and we can't afford to. We are selling it and not keeping it as a holiday home.", reports .

"We considered moving there and staying there but with all the costs et cetera it was a lot so we decided to sell it. We have an agent dealing with it and we're leaving him to sort it out."

Uttam added: "I'm quite a normal guy, there's some celebrity neighbours but I'm not in that showbiz league. It would be nice to meet a celebrity in the neighbourhood but we'd be a bit out of our depth."

Uttam and his wife Raki disclosed they had kicked back at the house for a while before choosing to let it go. Uttam, who works as an operations manager for the electronic component company Alps Alpine, expressed: "If we could afford to keep it we would. It is beautiful. But we are looking to buy some land or a smaller property instead."

Their eco-oriented dream home features top-notch insulation made from repurposed newspapers and a 'green roof' carpeted with grasses, moss, and flowers which is not just eye candy but reuses water, sustains wildlife, and purifies the air.

The abode, constructed sparingly without regard to expenditure, offers undisturbed panoramic views over the local landscape and is situated close to the postcard-perfect village of Rock on the coast – just across the water from where world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay has his £4.4million family mansion in the Camel Estuary near Padstow.

It appears Mr Parmar won't be swapping Leicestershire for the Cornish coast – he's not keeping the property as a holiday retreat. Instead, he's opting to sell the house and cash in on the windfall.

Earlier this summer, speaking from the Wadebridge property, he seemed open to the idea of keeping it, saying: "We have a large extended family, so no doubt they'll all be asking to have their next birthday parties here.

"We've holidayed in Cornwall over the years and always thought it would be incredible to have a place here – and now we do – we're still pinching ourselves. We're not sure if we'll rent, sell or live in it yet – it's the best dilemma we've ever had! Whatever we decide, it's a life changing win for the whole family."

Yet, just days later, the property popped up on the RightMove website. Uttam entered the Million Pound House Draw back in July.

After eight tries that came up empty, he and his wife finally hit the jackpot. He was at the hospital when he got the news that he'd won the four-bedroom dream home with a mere £25 ticket.

Post-win, he said: "We were so excited that we might have won the grand prize, we called our son Aaron, 26, to see if the winning entry code matched ours. When he triple checked the numbers matched, we must've burst his eardrums screaming down the phone.

"Although, we still didn't believe we'd won until we got back to our house and Omaze told us in person. I've participated in every Omaze draw since its inception, so it's true that patience pays off. This house is undoubtedly the best prize they've ever offered."

The property is a sun-soaked paradise with a terrace, hot tub, and a private courtyard adorned with exposed brick walls and an open fireplace. The interior of the house features a spacious, open-plan kitchen and dining area, perfect for entertaining.

With its chic modern design, the residence was crowned as the best new build in Cornwall in 2020. The sprawling 4,200 square-foot property also includes five acres of land nestled in the picturesque Cornish countryside.

Local estate agents estimate that the property could fetch up to £15,000 per month in rent during peak seasons. Uttam expressed his astonishment, saying: "I've always considered myself a lucky person, firstly because of my wonderful family – but I've also won a few items such as a TV and coffee table, which I was pretty content with.

"I never dreamed I'd win something as lavish as a £3million house though."

The prize draw was held to raise funds for Blood Cancer UK, a charity dedicated to supporting research into cancers like leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Gemma Peters, Chief Executive of Blood Cancer UK, expressed her appreciation: "We are so grateful to Omaze for selecting us as its charity partner for the Cornwall house draw. "Blood cancer is the UK's third biggest cancer killer, and the money this partnership has raised will help us to give support and information to people who are affected by blood cancer – as well as fund lifesaving research that will bring forward the day when blood cancer is finally beaten. '.

James Oakes, chief international officer at Omaze, shared his excitement: "We're delighted that Uttam has won his dream home – and was able to contribute to this fantastic £1million raise for Blood Cancer UK in the process. ".