A UNIVERSITY graduate who has been "getting by" working a minimum wage bar job became a millionaire overnight thanks to a spontaneous shop trip to buy a packet of sweets.

Alex Best, 21, headed back to live at his mum and step-dad’s house in Shildon, County Durham, in September having completed a degree in live event production.

Less than four months later the millennial was earning making ends meet at a Darlington club and applying for jobs in the trade of his dream when he picked up a single EuroMillions Lucky Dip ticket as he waited in line to buy a bag of Skittles from his nearby Spar store in Jubilee Fields.

Despite having an unsuccessful run of numbers, he struck lucky and scooped £1m in the EuroMillions UK Millionaire Maker draw.

Speaking from Redworth Hall Hotel, near Newton Aycliffe, on Wednesday, the newly made millionaire said: “I just popped into the shop for a bag of sweets and I was stood in the queue and saw the advert for the EuroMillions so I thought I’d try my luck on the EuroMillions and it turned out to be the best money I’ve ever spent.”

An infrequent lottery player, Mr Best only plays the game when he has a “spare couple of quid” and the most he has ever won was £10.

The following day when he checked his ticket online, his first reaction was “disbelief”.

“I just stared at the screen, reading every letter and number again and again to make sure it was true,” he added. “I was shaking like a leaf.”

A former pupil at St John's School and Sixth Form College in Bishop Auckland, the graduate asked his mum Sheila Mortimer and step-dad Alfie Mortimer to double check his winning ticket but, still unconvinced, he visited Sainsbury’s in St Helen Auckland to confirm.

“The machine made a jingle which was enough to convince me I had actually won,” said Mr Best, who has two brothers, Elliott and Cameron. “It was the best feeling ever, knowing that I’m now officially a millionaire.”

While studying at the University of Bolton, Mr Best got the chance to work as part of a crew which set up stages for the likes of Elton John, Madonna and Bruce Springsteen while also working at festivals like Glastonbury.

Committed to pursuing a career in the live music industry, Mr Best even attended a job interview for a technician role the day after landing the windfall and will be interviewed in Surrey on Thursday for a production trainee post with a “big touring company”.

The fortune has been a blessing for Mr Best who quit his job at Harvey’s Late Bar, in Darlington, which he had hoped to do because of its effect on his hearing.

Mr Best, whose biggest ever payout was for his mobile phone contract, now plans to buy a house, a trip to the United States and a car once he passes his test.