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‘My lucky charm won me £101,294 at Bingo’

Ruhubia Akbor
15/12/2004

CHRISTMAS has come early for a Greenacres man who has just scooped over £100,000 thanks to his lucky charm.

Tony Lloyd, a 43 year-old father of two, hit the jackpot on his fourth visit this year to the Mecca Bingo Club, in King Square. But this was the first time he took along a picture of six year-old granddaughter Chelsea.

"I haven't brought Chelsea's picture along to bingo before but this time I did and I won! I wasn't as excited as my sisters and niece. I was as cool as a cucumber and I didn't even know how much I'd actually won. I didn't realise it was as much as it turned out to be. I don't think it's hit me yet; I'm probably still in shock," he said.

He is sharing his winnings with sisters Ann and Susan, niece Donna and his uncle David who were all playing together when he won the National Bingo Game prize of £100,000, the regional prize of £1,019 and club prize of £275. He completed a full house in 40 numbers which was the lowest call in any of the 5,000 clubs playing nationwide that night.

Tony, a warehouseman, and his girlfriend Carol, who works in a cafe, will probably use the money to buy a house.

He added: "We will make sure the kids get an extra special Christmas and I'm sure Chelsea will help me spend the money."

This win is the second National Game success at the Mecca Club after a 71-year-old Rochdale woman won £101,259 just nine days earlier.

Mecca duty manager on both occasions, Samantha Haworth, said: "I think I must be the club's lucky mascot. All good things come in threes so we are expecting another big winner very soon."