A lucky and delighted dad, who recently lost his job, has collected a cheque for €500,000 after scooping a perfectly-timed EuroMillions jackpot.

‘This is truly a Christmas miracle,’ he said, as he was handed the cheque for the EuroMillions Plus top prize from last Friday’s draw.

He said the timing of his windfall could not have come at a better time. “I recently lost my job so we have been under a lot of pressure financially with Christmas fast approaching.

“This win is a huge relief for us all. We can now enjoy the holidays with the peace of mind that we don’t have to worry about our bills for a while yet.”

He discovered his luck had changed on his daily trip to a local newsagents. he said: “I checked my ticket as usual on a ticket scanner in a shop on Monday morning. A message flashed up telling me to contact the National Lottery right away.

“I checked again at the counter and the assistant whispered to me that I had won a half million euro.

“It’s was an indescribable feeling. Every ounce of anxiousness and worry had just been lifted in an instant.”

The delighted family will take some time out over Christmas to fully get to grips with their new-fortune.

The man, who remains anonymous, said: “Christmas is all about family. We are going to enjoy the next couple of days and celebrate together before we start thinking about our long term plans. In the New Year, I would love to start my own business and work for myself and my family. I now have the financial freedom to do that but I need to discuss it with my wife first.”

The winning Quick Pick ticket was bought at the Spar Waterville shop in Blanchardstown on the day of the draw.