A COUPLE who saw their lives shattered in a natural disaster have won a dream trip back to their former home.

A lucky 50p raffle ticket has seen Hilary and Stephen Gilmore win a holiday in Disney World, California.

Hilary, who works for caterers Aramark, in Newton Aycliffe, entered a company raffle in aid of the NSPCC, and industry charity Hospitality Action.

The couple live in Stapleton, near Darlington. But in the early 1980s they were running a successful plant nursery in California.

Seventeen years ago, tragedy struck when a tornado destroyed their livelihood.

Virtually penniless, the couple, together with Stephen's parents, were forced to come back to England.

Now the couple are preparing to return to the States, and say they can't wait to go back.

Hilary said: "It was a very hard experience to go through, but we managed to overcome our difficulties.

"We have now built up an excellent life for ourselves in England.

"Our only sadness was that we thought we would never return to America, even though we'd loved it so much.

"Now, thanks to my lucky ticket, we can go back."

Hilary was presented with her prize at a gala ball, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, in London's Park Lane.