A WOMAN whose husband passed away almost two years ago has received a "lovely surprise" in time for the new year after winning £10,000 in a charity raffle.

Helena Taylor from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was selected at random in the Great North Air Ambulance Service's annual £10,000 raffle prize event.

Ms Taylor, who said she has since been left "speechless" by the prize win, said this year had been especially tough after "things" went wrong in her home and her car failed.

The Northern Echo:

She said: "It has been rough. My hubby died 18 months ago, and he took a lot of looking after as he couldn’t breathe well. It seemed like it was one thing after another.

“My car broke, things went wrong in the house, shower packed in, central heating broke and I thought when is this going to end, so this has been a lovely surprise.”

This year, charity bosses said the annual raffle had generated more than £120,000 with £100,925 in ticket sales and £22,923 in donations.

The Northern Echo:

After finding out she had won this year's prize, she said: "I didn’t expect to win at all, I don’t win things.

"I am amazed and shocked – I still can’t believe it.

"When they rang me, for once in my life I was actually speechless.”

Ms Taylor said she now planned to purchase a new car, help her family and embark on trips to Shetland and London.

She said: "I plan on spending the money on a couple of trips.

"I am going to Shetland on a coach trip and hopefully go on the black train – the Grand Central to London.

“I will help family out too and change my car as it is six years old and didn’t think I could afford it before but now I don’t have to worry.”

Carey Taylor, assistant head of lotteries at the Great North Air Ambulance Service said: “Thank you to everyone who bought tickets and supported our annual raffle.

"Our 2019 raffle is now closed but you can join the raffle waiting list to find out when next year’s tickets go on sale via our website.”

For more information visit www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk