A MOTHER-OF-FIVe who won £16.7m in the biggest EuroMillions jackpot yesterday promised to go on a Los Angeles shopping spree - just like the Pretty Woman character in her favourite film.

Marion Richardson, 57, has, however, more domestic issues to address with her new-found fortune than merely taking a trip to Beverly Hills.

The divorced former Royal Mail worker is intending to treat her 80-year-old father Norman and 78-year-old mother, who is also called Marion, to a new carpet.

Ms Richardson said through Camelot: "I just love the film Pretty Woman and have always wanted to go shopping like Julia Roberts did on Rodeo Drive.

"Now, thanks to my EuroMillions win, my dream will come true."

She revealed she was at home knitting when she decided to check her numbers after her right hand began to itch - traditionally a sign of luck and money coming in.

"My right hand was really itching and I had to stop to scratch it," she said. "I remembered the superstition that if your right palm itches you are meant to come into money so I decided to check my EuroMillions numbers.

"I put on Teletext and just stared at the numbers. I recognised all of them straight away as they are my children's birthdays.

"I checked them against my ticket and realised I had the lucky star numbers as well."

Ms Richardson, who lives with her 25-year-old daughter Kaye, in Winlaton, Gateshead, admitted she could not stay still when waiting to find out if she had really won.

She said: "I ran right up to the TV screen just to check that it really was the EuroMillions numbers.

"I called my daughter, Kaye, and she checked them for me as well.

"I could not stay still and was wandering around the house until she confirmed my win."

She began phoning around her family, including her other children Julie, 37, Colin, 34, Paul, 39, and her youngest son, 32-year-old Scott.

Ms Richardson revealed that Scott did not believe her at first.

"He is always playing jokes on me, calling me up and putting on accents, so when I phoned him he thought I was getting my own back and told me to stop joking."

It is the first time the jackpot has been won in the UK since EuroMillions was launched in February.

Friday's winning ticket has landed the sixth richest prize in British lottery history, with the biggest jackpot being the £22.6m won by Mark Gardiner and Paul Maddison, of Hastings, East Sussex, in June 1995.

A dedicated player of the National Lottery, Ms Richardson has been buying tickets since its launch and always purchases five lines for each Saturday draw.

It was only the second time she had decided to take part in the EuroMillions game.

At the cheque presentation, Ms Richardson received a surprise visit from Atomic Kitten star Natasha.

The singer is friends with Ms Richardson's son, Scott, who works for Innocent Records, handling the promotion and marketing for Atomic Kitten.

Natasha said: "I've known Scott and his mum for a number of years and I'm just really happy for them.

"I'm just overwhelmed. You never expect to know anyone who's won the lottery. You just read about it in the papers.

"When Scott called and told me the news I was just crying my eyes out."

The singer planted a kiss on Ms Richardson's cheek and they hugged each other before posing for the cameras.

Ms Richardson, who was forced to retire from her job as a Royal Mail worker recently when a thyroid problem left her exhausted, spoke of her pride at her children and the working lives they have carved out for themselves.

Eldest son Paul is a hairdresser, daughter Julie an office manager, Colin works for a finance company, Scott for Virgin and the youngest, Kaye, runs a hairdressing salon.

She said: "We haven't come from a lot of money because I worked solidly from them being born - part-time jobs and full-time later on when they were older.

"I think it's rubbed off on them."

While Ms Richardson was celebrating her new millionaire lifestyle in London, her former husband, Colin, remained in the North-East.

The couple's divorce become final a few weeks ago.

But Ms Richardson insisted she was still firm friends with her former husband, who would be joining the family for their celebratory party.

Ms Richardson sprayed champagne in the air for photographers, but vowed: "I'm not going to change."

She also said she would continue using her lucky numbers and carry on playing the lottery once a week