A football-mad family man got to celebrate his birthday by doing something normally reserved for Premier League superstars.

Peter Bromley, who lives in Longfellow Road, Epsom, invited 40 of his closest family and friends to watch him lift the FA Cup trophy on Saturday after winning a competition to have the iconic item delivered to his house.

The lifelong Chelsea fan, who turned 56 this week, said he initially slammed the phone down after being told he won the prize because he was convinced it was a prank call.

Mr Bromley said: "I literally didn't believe it when I got the call from National Express saying I'd won. I thought someone was having a joke.

"It was only when I checked my email that I realised that I actually won."

"It's the icing on the cake after seeing Chelsea win the FA Cup this season."

He had organised a barbecue to celebrate his birthday when he was told that he won a chance to have the trophy paraded at his house for a whole afternoon.

He described it as "very strange" watching the FA Cup sitting in his back garden after he won the national competition which he entered via text message while watching Chelsea win the FA Cup at Wembley last month.

The coveted trophy was closely guarded by two security guards who kept a watchful eye on it during its four-and-a-half hour outing in Epsom.

Mr Bromley himself was the only person allowed to actually lift up the 17-year-old trophy which comes in three parts as it has a lid and sits on a plinth.

But this is not your average football fan - he is a die-hard Chelsea season ticket holder whose friends include Chelsea FC website writer Mark Worrall and Martin Knight, who co-wrote a sequel to the hit novel "Football Factory".

The gang all grew up in Worcester Park, Surrey, some 35 years ago and travel together to every Chelsea match, including European Cup ties.

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