FIRST dates are often an awkward affair, but for one couple their boozy encounter at the pub turned into their first holiday together, after scooping a £5,000 lottery win and jetting off to Benidorm.
Paige Howlett and John Thompson went on their first date at a pub after being set up through mutual friends in November 2025.
The pair hit it off and decided to throw caution to the windCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The duo ended up in Benidorm after booking flights in the taxiCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
The pair hopped in a taxi to the airport on their first dateCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Having booked a hotel for the night to save travelling home after a few drinks, the 31-year-old took a bag with a change of clothes and her passport as ID if needed.
During their date, Paige said the pair had joked they’d go on holiday if John won a lottery draw he’d entered that day.
While knocking back a few drinks, 36-year-old John’s thrilled mum called him saying he’d won £5,000 after she recognised his bonus ball number from a post announcing the winner.
It appears Lady Luck truly was shining down on the pair, as Paige then hopped on a fruit machine and scooped £170 – declaring that would be cab fare to the airport.
The tipsy lovebirds jumped into a taxi and booked a £500 package holiday to Benidorm while enroute to the airport.
Bookmaker Paige and plasterer John stayed in the Costa Blanca hotspot for five days and fell in love, making their relationship official when they touched back down in the UK.
Paige, from Middlesborough, North Yorkshire, said: “We booked a hotel for the night because we were both living at home with our parents.
“All I had was a suitcase with a pair of pyjamas and clothes for the next day. I said I got my passport in my suitcase and he said he has his passport in his bag.
“He said ‘I’m in for a chance to win five grand and if I win it now we’ll go on holiday.’ I didn’t think anything of it, so we went to our local pub.
“His mum rang him and said he had won. I went on the fruit machine and won £170 so I said ‘that is for the taxi to airport’.
“We booked a holiday in the taxi going to the airport. We were really drunk, we laughed the whole flight, and laughed all the way through the airport.”
The pair booked the whole holiday, including flights, in the taxi to the airport.
They even had to grab a to sober up before flying.
“We woke up in Alicante airport. It literally is fate how it all happened. We were still really drunk when we got there.
“We just sat around the pool and it was really hot. He was sat in a tracksuit and I was sat in a wool two-piece.
“We went to our room and went to buy clothes, went to play and stayed locally, going to the bars.”
The love birds even wanted to stay on their romantic getaway longer, but ended up having to come home due to work commitments.
Paige said the holiday helped them get closer together as they had to trust one another despite this only being their first date.
After filming their first date capers, Paige posted a video online with the caption: “When your first date turns into your first holiday together.
“He said that night if he wins the £5k bonus ball, we ain’t pub crawling… we’re going to the airport. So, we did just that. No clothes, just each other and a bellyache of laughs.”
Paige said: “I don’t know if I’d do it if I was sober. It’s crazy, he’s not really that spontaneous and I don’t think I am.
“I didn’t really know him, I knew of him but he wasn’t someone I saw every day in my life. We were there for five days.
“It’s a risk going on holiday with someone you don’t know that much and then falling in love while on holiday.
“We found each other on the holiday, the holiday made us. There’s no way of knowing someone like being with each other in that kind of environment and trusting each other.
“It’s a big thing going to a foreign country with someone you’ve just met. We made it official when we got home.
“We weren’t rushing or anything, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
“Someone commented on the video saying ‘two souls one rhythm’, and that’s literally us two. I’ve never met anyone who’s just like me as a person. How similar we are is crazy.
“We laughed so much our ribs hurt. It was brilliant. It was 100% meant to be. I would never change one little thing.”
Since returning from Benidorm John has got his own place, Paige revealed, and they’ve even booked another holiday.
John, from Middlesborough, North , said: “It was a spur of the moment thing.
“We both had our on us because we were going to a hotel and I said ‘if I win this bonus ball tonight we’re going on holiday’.
“It was brilliant, it was the best holiday I’ve been on, just laughs from start to finish. That definitely brought us closer.
“When we got back I asked her to be my girlfriend.
“I’ll have to see if I can organise a better date than that [in future], see how it goes.”
Paige said it was the most interesting date of her life and the couple will be returning to Benidorm in March.
Paige said: “We’re going back to Benidorm for St Patrick’s weekend.
“We had both been to Benidorm before with friends and had sworn to never go again, but after we both went together, we can’t wait to get back.
“If someone goes on a first date and can afford a spontaneous last-minute holiday, I recommend it.
“It was the most interesting date of my life, I don’t think he could ever top that now but he said he will, he is quite romantic.
“I definitely didn’t expect it, I expected a taxi ride home, not an airplane ride on holiday.
“He didn’t know much about me and I didn’t know much about him so you have to put trust in each other.”
Paige’s online video racked up more than 200,000 views with commenters saying the two are ‘soulmates’.
One wrote: “Love this! You have got to be soulmates!”
Another commented: “I love this, what a story to tell one day! Fate!”
One wrote: “Some meetings are written in the stars. Love this, two souls one rhythm.”
John won £5k on their first dateCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Paige Howlett and John Thompson went on their first date at a pub after being set up through mutual friendsCredit: Kennedy Newsand Media
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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