A Cheshire couple are heading to Rio de Janeiro after winning the holiday of a lifetime in a competition run by Macclesfield furniture retailer Arighi Bianchi.

“We were absolutely thrilled when we found out we’d won,” said Graham Podmore from Congleton. “It came as a complete surprise! It’s an incredible prize, and we’re so excited to be heading to Rio de Janeiro. We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Arighi Bianchi and Henbury Travel for making this amazing experience possible. We can’t wait to make some unforgettable memories. It’s something we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.”

Meanwhile, Buxton resident John Howarth received a £1,000 shopping voucher after his winning ticket was drawn in the Arighi Bianchi Big Summer Party prize draw.

Sarah Bianchi, CEO of Arighi Bianchi, congratulated both winners when they visited the store to collect their prizes.

She said: “It’s always a pleasure to reward our customers and it’s been wonderful to see the excitement these competitions have generated. We’re delighted for both Graham and John, and we hope they enjoy every moment of their prizes – whether that’s an unforgettable trip to Rio or finding something special in-store with a £1,000 shopping spree.”

Thousands of people entered the Postcards From Rio competition, which ran throughout spring and early summer across Arighi Bianchi’s store, website and social media channels. The prize, provided in partnership with Henbury Travel, includes return flights from the UK, five nights in a four-star hotel with airport transfers, plus a helicopter tour over Rio de Janeiro and a guided jeep adventure.

John’s winning entry was drawn during Arighi Bianchi’s Big Summer Party, which welcomed visitors from across the region for a day of live entertainment, food and drink from local independent businesses, family activities and exclusive in-store offers.

Arighi Bianchi says it has more events and experience-led campaigns planned throughout the summer, alongside its current Summer Savings event.