A taxi driver from Caia Park has become a lottery millionaire – but he has no plans to give up work.

Alan Phillips, 58, has become an overnight millionaire after scooping the jackpot on the £1m National Lottery monopoly scratchcard.

He believes he’s the first and only working millionaire taxi driver in the country.

The married father-of-six and grandfather of 10 had dropped wife Caroline off to babysit on Sunday, August 20, when he nipped in to the Poplar Road Co-op in the town centre.

Cashing in a scratchcard he had won £10 on, he decided to invest in two more – but let shop assistant Julie Roberts choose.

Her reward for helping Alan hit the jackpot will be a free holiday.

After purchasing the cards, Mr Phillips returned to his cab and was later stunned to find out he had become an instant millionaire.

He said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as it was still very early in the morning so went back into the store to ask the cashier to check for me.

“l’ll never forget her face when she said ‘you’re now a millionaire’.

“It’s down to Julie that I won so it is only right that I treat her as well.”

Despite his new found wealth, happy-go-lucky Mr Phillips still turned up for work the following morning and says he had no plans for an early retirement.

That evening he treated his family to a meal at the Squire Yorke in Wrexham town centre, and drinks at The Turf pub.

He said: “I love my job and I have people that rely on me so I couldn’t let them down.

“I have no intention of handing in my notice just yet so I might get a reputation as the only millionaire taxi driver in the country.”

He added: “I’ve known rich men giving up work and then they go back again.”

But the windfall means Mr Phillips’s wife Caroline, also 58, is able to give up her job as a housekeeper at a care home.

She is currently serving her notice and plans to spend more time with the family.

Mrs Phillips said: “I’m just overwhelmed. It’s not just Alan and I that will benefit from this win – but our kids and grandkids as well.

“It will go a long way to changing the lives of our entire family.”

Mr Phillips told the Leader that although he was planning to invest his winnings in homes for his children and grandchildren, his good fortune would not change him and he has no plans to leave the Caia Park estate where he has lived his entire life.

He also admitted there was no way he could keep his big win a secret.

“They are all going to be buying their own homes but I’m staying put”, he said.

“You know what it is like in Wrexham, word travels. You can’t hide anything in Wrexham and I’ve been telling people anyway.

“I did an airport run for a guy going to France last night and even he knows.”

But Mr Phillips is going to treat wife Caroline to a caravan for trips to the North Wales coast.

”The wife and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary earlier this year so I want to buy her something extra special”, he said.

”The caravan is something she has always asked for but never been able to afford.

”Now I can treat her, just like she deserves.

”I will look after my children as well. It is fantastic that I’m able to help them get a foot on the property ladder, something every father dreams of.”