LOTTO millionaire Jenny Southall is showing her commitment to her community - by giving her son's school £30,000.

The Newport woman who scooped more than £8 million in April 2007 gave Hartridge High School a £30,000 cheque - and they have used part of it to buy a top-of-the-range minibus.

Ms Southall's three children have all attended the school, and youngest, Jamie, 15, is a current pupil.

Since landing the haul of cash, Ms Southall has been able to ditch her former job at the Cineworld cinema in Spytty and become a lady of leisure.

Yet she insists the money will be not be wasted and is spending carefully.

"It has made a big difference to my life but I haven't changed. I bought a new house and am now learning to drive," she said.

"I bought my daughter a flat which she shares with her boyfriend and paid for her car - but it's nothing flash - a Citroen C1.

"It haven't given my kids anything gold-plated or anything like that, but it is nice to be able to give them the things they have always wanted."

Although now in a position to be able to have Jamie privately educated, Ms Southall believes keeping him at Hartridge was in his best interests.

"All his friends are here and he wanted to stay, it wasn't really an issue," she said.

In fact instead of removing her son from the school, Ms Southall decided to invest in Hartridge and contacted Head Teacher Goff Davies to see where her money could best be spent.

"I'm so, so grateful for Ms Southall - it was fantastic for her to think of us," he said.

Steve Murray, Transport Manager at Hartridge High School, said it would make his job much easier: "It will be a much more comfortable ride, that's for sure," he said.

"It's fantastic to feel people give back to the community, and the school is a big part of the community," Mr Murray said.