A couple who scooped a £7.9 million Lotto jackpot say their purchase of a 15.5-acre woodland has brought them the “greatest joy”.

Ted Newton, 84, and his 80-year-old wife Marilyn, from Wootton, near Dover, originally purchased the woodland in east Kent to walk their dog, Poppy.

But they have since opened it up to the local community and now enjoy sharing the space with schoolchildren, a creche and members of Dartford Cambria Sea Scouts.

The couple are now set to host their 31st event for the scouts on their land.

Mrs Newton said: “We moved here so we had somewhere for our grandchildren to run about and explore.

“Little did we know when we bought Park Wood that not only would it be our grandchildren running about, we’d also play host to many hundreds of young people from the locality and, importantly, from Dartford Cambria Sea Scouts.

“Our son leads the Sea Scout group, which is based in an area of Dartford with high levels of deprivation.

“With money tight for so many families it can often be hard for the Sea Scouts to fund camping trips away, meaning the children sometimes miss out on gaining essential skills, unique team-building opportunities and, importantly, a chance to engage with nature.

“When Steve asked if the Sea Scouts could come and hold a one-off camp, we were only too happy to say yes, and now, almost 10 years on, we’re delighted to regularly host all sorts of different scout camps and are readying ourselves for the 2025 schedule.”

The Newtons, originally from Dartford, won the £7.9 million Lotto jackpot in 2009 and split it with their three children.

Mrs Newton added: “It’s not everyone’s first thought, to buy a wood, complete with its own unique postcode. But of everything we have been able to enjoy since that incredible win, creating this wooded wonderland must be our greatest joy.

“We also invite the local school down, the village creche visits and people walk their dogs here. We love nothing more than seeing the woods come alive.”

Son Steve, Sea Scout leader, said: “It never fails to amaze me when some of the young children, who maybe haven’t been in this sort of natural environment before, tentatively start to explore.

“Being able to return time after time and to take part in lots of different activities, from Duke of Edinburgh hikes to visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial, is a fantastic opportunity. “

Steve added that older teenagers from the group regularly camp in the woods, developing skills such as building a fire and cooking over the coals, clearing a campground of undergrowth and using axes or saws effectively.

He added: “Everything we do here is to help these young people have fun, without the aid of a screen or technology.”