Former cabbie swaps one-bed council flat for £4,000,000 beach home after raffle

A retired cab driver who won a £4 million beach pad said he used to drop people off at fancy houses and can’t believe he now has his own.

James Moughton, 71, scooped the incredible West Sussex property, plus £250,000 in cash, in the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw.

The four-bedroom home boasts three reception rooms, panoramic sea views, a guest house, direct beach access, a boat house, multiple terraces, an outdoor kitchen and BBQ area and a wood surround Skargards hot tub.

James, who lives in a one-bedroom council flat in Hull, bought a £25 ticket in the hope of winning a house that would change his family’s lives, but never thought it would become a reality.

The ecstatic grandad said: ‘I’ve got a daughter, a son and grandchildren— they’re all over the moon for me. I can’t wait to have all the family come and stay – everyday will feel like a holiday here.

‘I’m from a council estate, but now I own a coastal paradise. I can’t believe I’m going from a one-bedroom flat to a £4 million mansion!

‘Things like this just don’t happen to people where I come from. The last thing I won was a soft toy at the Hull Fair!’

James revealed said he’d been having an uneventful and boring week before Omaze turned up at his home.

‘I think the highlight had been nipping to the shops and avoiding getting sunburnt!

‘Then all of a sudden I get a knock at the door and someone tells me I’ve won a prize—initially I thought it must be a wind-up!

‘I was gobsmacked, I could’ve fallen through the floor! I went to see my daughter afterwards to crack open a bottle of fizz to celebrate!’

He described the house as ‘absolutely stunning’, adding: ‘The sea views are something else—it’s literally right on the beach.

‘I’ve even got a hot tub looking out across the sea—my grandson’s going to love that. Now I’ve got the beach as my back garden, I think it’s time I learnt to swim. My son said he’s going to teach me, but I’ll just dip my toes in for the time being’.

In regards to its epic size, he joked, ‘The dog shower in the garage is bigger than my current bathroom!’

James, who spent 20 years driving a cab in Hull, added. ‘When I was a cabbie, I used to drop people off at fancy homes—now I’ve got one of my own!’

The house lies a short walk away from East Preston and Rustington, with its range of shops, cafes and wine bars.

Angmering station, a little over a mile from the property, offers direct trains to London Victoria in around 90 minutes.

As well as making James a millionaire, the Sussex house draw raised £4.1 million for the MND Association.

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a fatal, rapidly progressing neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, which in turn impacts how people walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe.

The MND Association focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by the condition.

The cause is close to James’s family’s heart. Daughter, Katie, spent time working directly with people with MND and says she has seen at first hand the ‘devastating’ impact of the disease.

James said: ‘I’m thrilled Omaze has raised such a massive amount for the MND Association.

‘I followed (late rugby player) Rob Burrow’s story—what he went through was heartbreaking. It’s wonderful that the money raised from this Draw will help others like him.’

Tanya Curry, Chief Executive at the MND Association said: ‘It’s hard to put into words just how much the incredible amount raised means to all of us—it represents a real beacon of hope for the whole MND community.

‘Since our partnership with Omaze began in May more than 300 people will have been told they have MND and at the same time they will have been told there is no treatment, there is no cure.

“The money raised will help us change that. Your generosity will help us rewrite what it means to be diagnosed with MND and start a revolution in MND research.

‘Through the development of our Research Nurse Network many more people with MND will be empowered to access cutting edge clinical trials, paving the way for the breakthrough we are all so impatient to see.’

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