A COUPLE who are raffling their family home and car in order to emigrate to Australia have sold 215,000 tickets in just ten days.

Interest in the draw to win Richard and India Taylor’s Victorian townhouse, in Bishop Auckland, and BMW sportscar has been so high that entry is now expected to close weeks earlier than the initial November deadline.

  • County Durham couple raffling Bishop Auckland home and BMW for £1 a ticket

The couple started preparing for a new life in Perth with sons Lucas, four, and eight-month-old Eli, and dogs Beau and Petal, in January, after Mr Taylor was offered a job maintaining mining plant.

But the sale of their home kept hitting snags, with potential buyers struggling to get a mortgage or sell their own property, and then coronavirus became a further challenge.

Mrs Taylor said: "Raffling them sounded crazy at first but we felt it was our last chance and people have been really supportive.

“When we had kids we knew we wanted to move, we all love being outside and Perth is so outdoor-focussed it is a good match for our family.

“We have been amazed at the support, we sold about 215,000 raffle tickets in nine or ten days, people in the North-East have been a phenomenal support.

“Once we hit 300,000 tickets we will close the raffle and announce a winner, which could be in September instead of November, and look forward to moving.

“We hope Richard, at least, can move out in November.”

Entry is £1 at Raffall.com