Lucky Lotto ladies win half a million

David Knox 1607 - 1607 • Published 29 Apr 2009 09:00 0 Comments

A GRANNY syndicate from a Galashiels factory has scooped almost half-a-million on the National Lottery.

The six women - Jean Bell, Irene Kirk, Janet McCall, Rosemary Thomson, Wilma Turnbull and Meggy Walker - matched five numbers and the bonus ball in last Wednesday"s draw.

And the lucky ladies will share a whopping £429,807 between them - which works out at £71,634 each.

The syndicate was started at Sykes Global Services factory almost a decade ago.

Despite Rosemary, Irene and Jean all retiring, they continued to play the game together twice a week.

Wilma, who is the youngest of the syndicate at 48, told the Border Telegraph: 'We are all taking our time to decide how to spend the money.

'We started the syndicate when we all worked together at McQueen"s.

'There"s only three of us left at the factory but we"ve all stayed in touch and kept the syndicate going over the years.

'We"ve had a couple of smaller wins in the past - I think around £100 was the most we"ve won - but nothing like this.

'It has taken a day or two to sink in.'

Meggy checked their numbers just after the Wednesday draw was made.

And she called ticket-holder Irene, who spent a sleepless night with the slip under her pillow.

Mrs Kirk told us: 'It"s all been a bit of a shock.'

David Liddle, operations director at Sykes" Galashiels factory, which employs 120 people, said: 'We are all delighted for them.

'The syndicate has been going for years, when the firm was previously called McQueen"s.

'They kept it going and now they have got their rewards.

'Three have already retired and another was thinking of retiring so this just clinched it for her, the timing could not be better.

'It is also another half a million pounds going into the Borders economy, which is great news for everyone.'

The winning numbers from Wednesday"s draw was 11, 21, 34, 42, 43 and 45. The crucial bonus ball number was 20.

Lottery promoters Camelot are expected to hand over the winning cheque later this week.

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This article appeared in Border Telegraph 29 Apr 09

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