Splash the cash

But not the 20 residents and the warden of Margaret Matthews Court, in Rodbourne.

As reported in yesterday's late edition of the Advertiser they set up a National Lottery syndicate and have cleaned up on Saturday's rollover.

Their minds must now be turning to more extravagant purchases, such as luxury cruises and new cars.

It's not every day you win a lot of money.

But it's even more amazing if 20 of your friends and neighbours all win on the same day.

Most of us have some experience of winning the odd tenner on the lottery but the Rodbourne winners can let their imaginations run a bit wilder.

Buying a new house is always a popular choice with lottery winners. Robert Skerten, the director of Henry George estate agents, said: "There's only one place in Swindon you could live if you have £9 million, and that would be Old Town.

"Unfortunately, they've just missed out on the poshest house in Old Town, Westlecot Manor, which has been purchased in the last six months.

"Alternatively, they could buy their neighbours' homes and have the whole block of sheltered accommodation and then knock it into one. But modern garages will probably not be wide enough to fit in their new Bentley."

Mr Skerten believes the pensioners should definitely live somewhere with a swimming pool.

He said: "The Old Rectory, in Upper Siddington, is less than £1million and has a pool and tennis court and elegant rooms with high ceilings to echo their new standing in the community.

"It would be the ideal place for entertaining all their new-found friends."

The property is set in 3.6 acres and would leave the lucky pensioners with more than £8 million in change, which might even cover their legal charges.

If the winners decide to stay put in their Rodbourne sheltered housing complex, they might want to put some cash into the community.

On the streets of Swindon yesterday we asked people what they would do with the money.

Most wanted to give money to their children, but many said they would donate to their favourite causes.

Swindon has done quite well in the lottery stakes.

But something that most of our local winners have had in common has been a reluctance to step into the limelight.

In November a Cricklade syndicate won £2.2 million but wanted to stay anonymous.

But Sybil Lee, from Highworth, stood up to the glare of publicity.

The 58-year-old Scot carried on playing the lottery after winning £2.8 million.

She gave up her job as a nursery nurse at Westgate House nursery school in Highworth, but continued to work shifts when they had staffing problems.

She claimed her husband George's calming influence stopped her from going from bananas with the money. She split £1m between her five daughters and spent £290,000 on a Highworth bungalow.

She spent £42,000 on a Jaguar for herself and a Hyundai 4X4 for her husband, but still had plenty left over.

Alan Hayward, the organiser of the Swindon Together On Planning march, will not be asking the winners to donate £9.42 million towards campaigns such as saving Coate Water.

He said: "Our campaign is about people not money. The only thing we need money for is for printing flyers and posters. If they want to spare some loose change that would be very welcome."

What they could buy with £9m

If they clubbed together they could get hold of two Learjets for £9 million

If they all donated the money to Swindon Town Football Club the club could have bought Michael Owen when he left Liverpool for £8 million

For £118,000 they could buy 63 of Ferrari's latest model, the F430

For £10,500 they could have 777 90-day world cruises on the QE2

For £10,000 they could afford 819 1940s Russian T-54 tanks

At about £70,000 each they could get hold of 105 gold London Good Delivery Bars, weighing 400 ounces

They could buy nearly 4,200 42-inch plasma televisions at £2,000 each

At £2 a time each of them could go to the early session of Mecca Bingo on a Friday 4121250 times

Each could buy 23549988 copies of the Evening Advertiser.

Dave Andrew