Bristol retiree nets ‘life-changing’ £49k dream car and cash prize

Steve Waters won an electric Mini John Cooper Works worth £39,000 in BOTB’s weekly Dream Car Competition.

The retired youth offender manager was at home when BOTB presenter Christian Williams arrived to surprise him with news of his win.

Before he could even take it all in, Christian led him to his brand-new Mini, parked just around the corner.

“Gosh,” the 65-year-old said in disbelief. “I cannot believe it!”

The Mini John Cooper Works is renowned for its high-performance, sporty design, and go-kart feel - quite the upgrade from Steve’s current car.

“I’ve got an old Citroen at the moment,” he said. “I saw the Mini online and thought it looked fantastic. I thought I’d play for something I wouldn’t normally be able to get.

“I’ve only ever owned one brand-new car, and that was when I was in my mid-20s.”

But the surprises didn’t stop there. Christian then revealed an extra £10,000 hidden in the boot of the car.

“It’s nuts,” Steve said. “I can see a new kitchen coming. I’ve been in my apartment for 15 years, and it's the original one, so it’s looking a bit tired.”

Steve, who recently had a knee replacement, had been planning to go for a swim that day to help with his recovery, but after his big win, he admitted: “I might stay at home now and drink Champagne instead!”

Despite his love of the car, Steve said he was planning on taking the cash alternative.

“It’s a beautiful car, but it would be wasted on me. I only use my old Citroen to go to the gym.

“The money will enable me to do so much more. I’ve got two sons who are off to New York, and I’ve given them some money towards their trip.”

Leading car competitions company BOTB hands over the keys to a stunning dream car each week as well as a lifestyle prize.

It also offers people the chance to win a holiday, cash, tech, cars and more in its Instant Wins Competition.

Founded by William Hindmarch in 1999, BOTB has given away £87.6m-worth of cars so far.

Steve added: “To win feels amazing. “It’s life-changing for me as it means I can use it to get into good financial shape. It also means things become much less stressful.”

Christian said: “What an amazing win for Steve! The Mini JCW is an incredible car, but I completely understand why he’s taking the cash alternative.

“From helping his sons with their trip to New York to getting his kitchen redone, it’s great to see the money going towards things that will truly benefit him and his family.”

To see Steve’s reaction alongside a host of other lucky winners, head over to www.BOTB.com