A key worker in Essex who performed life-saving CPR during lockdown has just scooped a £1million prize playing the EuroMillions lottery.

East Anglian Daily Times: Anthony Canty celebrates with partner Katie Sullivan after he scooped a £1million prize playing the Euromillions lottery Picture: BONCE PRAnthony Canty celebrates with partner Katie Sullivan after he scooped a £1million prize playing the Euromillions lottery Picture: BONCE PR (Image: Archant)

The lucky winner, 33-year-old father-of-two Anthony Canty, from Maldon, discovered the windfall just weeks after saving a policeman’s life on his commute home.

He has been working throughout lockdown, maintaining the water quality for hospitals and care homes in central London.

Mr Canty said: “A few weeks ago I was on the bus heading home when I started chatting to the only other passenger, a policeman who had also just finished his shift.

“We were talking about the impending lockdown and what we were having for dinner when suddenly, totally out of the blue, he collapsed with a massive heart attack.

“Thanks to my work first aid training, and with help from the 999 operator, I was able to give him CPR while we waited for the ambulance.

“The guy was airlifted to hospital and, after five days in ICU, recovered enough to give me a call to thank me for saving his life.

“Obviously, him being alive was magic news but he jokingly said that I was due some good karma.

East Anglian Daily Times: Anthony Canty celebrates with partner Katie Sullivan after he scooped a £1million prize playing the Euromillions lottery Picture: BONCE PRAnthony Canty celebrates with partner Katie Sullivan after he scooped a £1million prize playing the Euromillions lottery Picture: BONCE PR (Image: Archant)

“I’d say a £1m EuroMillions win is very good karma!”

‘You div, we’re millionaires!’

Mr Canty bought his ticket on the evening of May 5. He discovered he was a winner early the next day, as he was on a train bound for London.

He immediately called his partner, 32-year-old Katie Sullivan, to share the good news – but had misread the prize and thought he had won £100,000.

“I called Katie to tell her the good news but she wouldn’t believe me and thought I was winding her up, so I gave her the numbers to check for herself,” Mr Canty said.

“I heard her log-on and then she started screaming, and said: ‘You div, it’s £1million, we’re millionaires, you have to come home!’”

Mr Canty did exactly that and explained to his office he would not be in work that day.

East Anglian Daily Times: Anthony Canty celebrates with partner Katie Sullivan after he scooped a £1million prize playing the Euromillions lottery Picture: BONCE PRAnthony Canty celebrates with partner Katie Sullivan after he scooped a £1million prize playing the Euromillions lottery Picture: BONCE PR (Image: Archant)

He added: “I called up and said I was really sorry but couldn’t work that day as I’d just won £1million!

“They couldn’t believe it and thought I was joking to start with, I think they were more shocked when I came back to work this week carrying on as usual.”

Lucky Lola, the miniature Dachshund

The family-of-four were already in good spirits before Mr Canty’s lottery win, as they had welcomed a furry friend into their family the day before.

Miss Sullivan said: “The night before we discovered the win we’d just bought one of our neighbour’s miniature Dachshund puppies for our daughter, so when they saw us in the garden with a glass of prosecco at 9am they joked that we were a bit over-excited about the new arrival.

“Of course we’re so pleased about the puppy, who we’ve been waiting patiently to arrive for months, but it was amazing to say that we were actually celebrating a massive lottery win.

“They cheered with us and we all decided the puppy needed to be called Lucky Lola.”

‘I’m not giving up work’

Mr Canty and Miss Sullivan are turning their thoughts to the future and what the win will mean to them and their two young daughters.

He said: “In the current circumstances, nothing much will change but that’s okay as it will give us time to think sensibly about our future plans.

“I do know that I’m not giving up work, I like it and I’m proud of what we do so I’m definitely not giving that up. Although I will be taking some time off when it’s safe to fly again, so we can take the girls to Disneyland.

“We may think about moving to a new house in the future but our main priority is to invest the money wisely so that our girls will be financially secure.”