Workers share £97,000 lucky draw

The numbers were chosen at random

Seven supermarket security workers are celebrating a £97,425 Lotto win.

The syndicate members from Tesco in Upper Boat, near Treforest, matched five balls and the bonus ball.

The friends - who call themselves The Magnificent Seven - bought the winning ticket at the store where they all work.

They will each receive a payout of almost £14,000.

Syndicate organiser Les Cosslett, 46, from Llanishen in Cardiff, said he had a shock when fellow worker Perry Evans phoned him late on Saturday night to check their Lotto numbers.

"I had been working on a late shift, and when I got home Perry rang to say he thought we had won," he said.

"When I saw the numbers, I just couldn't believe it. I was very cautious about the whole thing until it was actually proved that we had won."

Holiday plans

Les, who is married with seven grown-up children, then had the job of informing the rest of the syndicate about the win.

"It was a bit tricky,as they were all out at a staff Christmas party, so they were already feeling merry before I gave them the news," he said.

Les and his wife Sue are planning to spend some of the money on a family holiday to the Dominican Republic next September, and a trip to Alicante in May.

They will also use some for home improvements but, Les added: "It's not a life-changing amount of money, but it will definitely make for a very merry Christmas and happy new year."

The syndicate has been playing Lotto for more than two years. The numbers they use were chosen at random.

The winning Lotto numbers on Saturday, 10 December were 10, 20, 23, 25, 30, 48 and the bonus ball, 31.

Others named as members of the winning syndicate were David Henwood, 43, and Anthony Spencer Rees , 39, who both live in Church Village, near Pontypridd; Christopher Mapps , 41, from Sirhowy, Tredegar; Leighton Jones, 48, from Penrhiwceiber in the Cynon Valley; and Perry Evans 45, from Tynewydd, Treorchy, Rhondda. One member of the syndicate has insisted on remaining anonymous.