Lynne Brown and Sandra Taylor will have their mortgage or rent, water, gas and electricity bills paid for by the agency after they won August’s Big Hays Travel Thank You.

The initiative was set up to recognise and reward staff, and sees all employees across the business entered into a prize draw once a month to win a range of prizes.

Previous winners have included Richard Farmer from the Wombwell branch – who won a new car – and Rachel Lovstad from the recruitment team who won a cruise of her choice worth up to £5,000.

Dame Irene Hays announced the result of this month’s draw on an all staff video. She said: "August had been such an exceptional month so the decision had been made to surprise two people, not just one."

Brown – who has worked at Hays for 18 months as a legal executive – said she "burst into tears" when her name was announced.

"I just can’t believe it, I’m over the moon," she added. "It was lovely to see all my colleagues reaction as well, they are all so happy for me. I can’t wait to tell my family."

Retail director Jane Schumm and chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston travelled to the Washington branch to surprise Taylor with the good news.

She said: "I am absolutely overwhelmed, completely speechless. Of the 40 years I have worked in travel this is the biggest prize I have ever won. My husband can’t complain about me putting the heating on now."

The next instalment of the Big Hays Travel Thank You will feature a prize of a four-night stay in New York with £1,000 spending money.