WHEN most millionaires are choosing a venue for a landmark birthday bash, they might settle on a night of luxury at the Ritz or a lavish trip to Monte Carlo.

But not so for down-to-earth greengrocers Sue and Paul Watson, from Darlington.

They plumped for a far more low-key celebration, with a night out at their local, the Travellers Rest, in Cockerton.

When the couple won £1,173,329 on the National Lottery in January, they swore the money would not change them.

And eight months on, they remain true to their word, continuing to run their fruit, veg and flower shop in the town, where Mr Watson still gets up at 3.20am to buy the produce and Mrs Watson opens the shop at 9am on the dot, working until 6pm.

On Friday, she celebrated her 50th birthday at the Travellers Rest with customers, friends and family.

The rest of their life remains equally modest, for despite winning enough to live the life of champagne jetsetters, their most pricey splurge has been a two-year-old Jaguar with 8,000 miles on the clock. Mrs Watson said: "I did not even know it was a Jaguar at first when Paul surprised me.

"I like the colour though, it's a lovely blue."

Mr Watson, 54, also changed his car for a second-hand Mitsubishi Shogun for his deliveries.

They have paid off the mortgage on their three-bedroomed detached house in Darlington, where they have lived for 19 years, but have no intention of moving.

The couple said the reason they have not gone wild was because £1m does not stretch that far these days. Mr Watson said: "You have to think carefully about what you are doing with it.

"We want to keep the business going because we owe it to our customers, staff and children."

The couple have two sons, Chris, 28, and Phil, 21.

Mrs Watson said: "We are part of the community. It is more than just a shop. I do not want to seem big-headed and over the top, but everyone in the village knows Paul and I."

The family have enjoyed a holiday in Florida and had a weekend in London when Mrs Watson went to see her favourite musical, The Sound of Music.

They also visited New York in June, where Mrs Watson snubbed Prada and Gucci in favour of chainstore Zara, buying the dress she wore to her birthday bash.

Mr Watson said: "We went to Tiffany's. She said she would like a diamond ring, so I said, 'Right, what would you like?' but she said, 'I'm not paying those prices'."

It is clear the couple have kept their feet firmly on the ground, and they acknowledge that while the money may have changed their lives, it has not changed them.

Mr Watson said: "It just makes life easier and more comfortable, and definitely more enjoyable."

Mrs Watson added: "I do not honestly think it has changed us as people, though, and people still treat us the same as they always have."