She had been on her way to work that morning when her phone rang, she hit the Bluetooth button, and the voice of Sunrise presenter David Koch came from her speakers to tell her she was that morning’s Cash Cow winner.

Sunrise viewers enter the competition with a code word revealed each day during the show, and the prize jackpots if the daily winner doesn’t answer the phone within three rings. The prize was on a streak of missed calls when Danelle won, turning what could have been a $10,000 win to $80,000 instead.

Danelle is a regular entrant and a devoted Sunrise viewer, who records the show when she can’t be home to watch it.

Only her dogs were at home on Monday morning, sitting in front of the fire with the show playing while Danelle accepted her prize, told the hosts she planned to invest it in her small business, and even proposed that Kochie come to Mudgee to help her and speak to the local Chamber of Commerce.

“They were lovely, but they had to cut me off because I just kept on talking!” Danelle said.

For nearly four years, Danelle has run Mudgee Cleaning Supplies, providing local businesses with supplies such as chemicals, vaccuums, buckets, mops, brooms, commercial glass washers and crockery.

She’s ready to expand the business now, and has ideas for advertising, marketing and promotion, and a long term goal of setting up a premises in town.

Danelle knew she needed to put more money behind the business if she was to expand, so she had recently taken on an additional part-time job – which was where she was going when Sunrise called.

She invited friends around after her win, mowed the lawn, and prepared the house for the Cash Cow’s arrival that afternoon.

When the Cash Cow came to the door, Danelle – who hadn’t stopped talking since the morning call – was struck silent, and could do nothing but hug her bovine benefactor.

Danelle was interviewed by a producer for the next morning’s broadcast, and said she had no plans to sink the money into a holiday; she was just keen to get to work.

The one luxury she intends to allow herself is replacing her work van with one that has a working air conditioner.