McMillionaire postpones honeymoon for football

Mar 10 2008 by Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo

WITH a lottery fortune behind them, McMillionaire bride and groom Emma and Luke Pittard could have had their pick of any honeymoon brochure.

But the newlyweds, who netted £1,369,847 on a Lotto jackpot win while working at the fast food restaurant, have decided to stay at home in Cardiff instead – to make sure football-crazy Luke didn’t miss a match.

Goalkeeper Luke, 25, has played for his local Sunday League side Heron Marsh since his teens and has now joined Cardiff and District League club Cardiff Rovers.

So instead of jetting off on their dream honeymoon on a cruise to the Mediterranean after their lavish wedding at Cardiff’s Hilton, they are holding out on their honeymoon until the summer.

Luke, father to three-year-old Chloe, said: “I’m really lucky that Emma understands how much I enjoy training in preparation for my two big weekend games. She knows that once the season is over then we can both really start to look forward to a lovely honeymoon to follow our perfect wedding.”

After their win, the couple carried on working at McDonald’s, but eventually gave up work and bought a new four-bedroom townhouse in Pengam Green, Cardiff, for cash last September.

She may be the understanding wife, but Emma is banned from watching her husband play because she is “bad luck”.

Emma said: “The first time I went to watch Luke play he ended up twisting his ankle and not being able to walk for two months, so I think it’s best if I stay away. It really doesn’t bother me though. It means I can spend my weekends playing with Chloe and enjoying our new home.”

The couple’s fortune came as a huge surprise to Luke’s new teammates at Cardiff Rovers, who only found out when the couple’s wedding photos appeared in the paper. Luke, who is the cousin of Cardiff City and Wales star Joe Ledley, said: “I didn’t feel that my Lotto win was that important to shout about when I met my new team mates for the first time and it’s not the kind of thing that you would think to bring up in conversation. Anyway, we had far more important things to talk about – like the match.”

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laura.wright@mediawales.co.uk