A County Durham builder who scooped £1million on the National Lottery in March faced heartbreak when his father died just two days after learning of the windfall.

Terry Gillings, 61, and his wife Caroline, 54, won the life-changing sum on March 26 but had to convince Terry's seriously ill 85-year-old father the win was genuine.

Despite the family's grief, the couple are determined to honour the win by sharing their fortune with their four daughters and supporting causes close to their hearts.

The Gillingses plan to pay off their daughters' mortgages, donate to breast cancer charities and embark on dream holidays to Indonesia and Peru.

Terry Gillings, 61, and his wife Caroline, 54, won the life-changing sum on March 26

Terry revealed his father, who suffered from prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease, initially refused to believe the news.

"I told dad we'd won a million and, true to character, his first words were 'p*** off, don't lie to us!'" he said.

But the builder reflected that the timing brought some comfort despite the loss.

"I like to think knowing Caroline and I, and the girls, were all well set up for the future meant he slipped away more peacefully," he said.

Gillings added: "My dad always said celebrate the wins, that's exactly what we intend to do and I've enjoyed telling everyone I've bumped into since that we've won."

The couple plan to pay off their daughters' mortgages, donate to breast cancer charities and embark on dream holidays to Indonesia and Peru

The couple have decided their daughters will be the primary beneficiaries of their good fortune.

"We've always worked hard and helped our kids where we can - but this is a whole other level. Surely, it's every parent's dream," Gillings said.

"I'll never forget phoning our daughters to tell them that their mortgages were being paid off... It generated quite a bit of screaming and joy," he added.

The family said the plan to donate to Breast Cancer Awareness comes after relatives were affected by the disease.

"We've had our share of bad luck and hopefully by donating some of our win we can help other families to be luckier when it comes to this horrible disease," Terry said.

'This is a whole other level. Surely, it's every parent's dream,' Terry said

The couple's travel plans include visiting Indonesia to observe endangered Bali myna birds, which Gillings breeds, and exploring Machu Picchu in Peru.

The lucky lottery winner has worked as a builder since leaving school and continued working in the days following the win.

He may now concentrate on developing a plot of land he purchased with a friend several years ago.

The winning Lotto numbers that changed the family's fortunes were 14, 17, 18, 22, 34 and 58.