Former pub landlord who was victim of armed robbery wins £69k BMW and cash prize bundle
Gary Hamblett, from Manchester, was working at a pub when three masked men armed with baseball bats burst in during an attempted robbery. The frightening experience prompted him to change career and he is now a driving instructor.
The 58-year-old won the car and cash prize bundle through online competition specialist BOTB and was at home when he received an unexpected video call from presenter Christian Williams, who told him he was the winner of its weekly Lifestyle Competition.
Gary was left stunned by the win, even though he told his partner at the start of the year that he was going to win a BMW.
“Wow, I absolutely love that motor,” said Gary. “I’m so chuffed.
“I actually said at the beginning of the year, ‘I’m going to win a BMW.’
“I would have been happy with £100 or a PS5, but I couldn’t have won a better motor. This is a meaty car with a wide body and fat wheels.
“There’s no L-plates going on that whatsoever.”
As part of the surprise, Christian revealed the BMW M2 to Gary before opening the boot to unveil his second prize - the £2,000 in cash.
Despite his love for the BMW, Gary later admitted he was considering taking the cash alternative, with practicality now playing a bigger role in his decision-making.
He said: “If I was 25, I would have definitely taken the car, but now I’m older and thinking about it more practically, we’ve got two cars on the drive already.”
Gary said the cash alternative will help him and his partner achieve a long-held dream of buying a holiday lodge.
“We’ve been talking about it for a number of years and saving for a while now, but the large chunk of cash has actually made us believe it’s doable,” he said.
Gary said the armed robbery experience led to him pursuing a new career as a driving instructor - a job he says has proved enjoyable and rewarding.
“I had just opened up for the cleaners and three masked men with baseball bats came in and cracked me across the back of the legs,” he added.
“They tried to open the safe but I had already thrown the keys in the fireplace, so they couldn’t get anything.
“I thought, ‘This isn’t for me anymore.’
“I’m now self-employed, a lot happier and love seeing the reaction when people have passed their test.”
The BMW M2 is a high-performance sports coupe combining track-inspired performance with everyday driving practicality, making it a very different proposition from the cars Gary is used to teaching his students in.
Christian said: “It was brilliant to surprise Gary with the news. You could tell immediately how much the BMW meant to him, and revealing the £2,000 cash in the boot was the perfect way to finish the surprise.
“Gary’s story makes this win even more special. From going through such a frightening experience as a pub landlord to changing careers and then receiving a call telling him he’d won the car and cash, it was a huge moment.
“Hopefully this prize allows him to enjoy some well-deserved good fortune.”
Founded in 1999, BOTB has given away prizes to over 926,000 people, including £167 million-worth of cars so far.
It is currently offering people the chance to win a stunning five-bedroom home in Norfolk worth £1 million in a competition costing just £1 to enter.
To see Gary’s reaction alongside a host of other lucky winners, head over to BOTB.com.