A MISSING Lotto winner in Tameside has finally come forward to claim a £1 million prize – four months after their winning ticket was purchased.
The ticket-holder matched five main numbers and the Bonus Ball in the second Lotto draw on Wednesday, July 1, securing the life-changing sum.
The winning numbers were 5, 8, 26, 33, 39 and 42, with 54 as the Bonus Ball.
But with the winner yet to come forward, a search was launched by The National Lottery to track down the mystery millionaire before the prize claim deadline in December.
A national appeal was subsequently issued, with efforts stepped up to find the ticket-holder and reunite them with their potentially life-changing winnings.
The winner has now been found and is beginning the process of claiming their prize, although it remains subject to validation checks.
Andy Carter, Senior Winner’s Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: “We have been doing everything we can to raise awareness of the unclaimed £1M prize in Tameside and making sure the missing millionaire was talk of the town, not just locally, but nationally. We are delighted that the winner has come forward to claim their prize.
“Just imagine, this lucky winner has spent the last four months completely unaware they were sitting on a life-changing sum of money. Then, almost overnight, everything changes. It’s a moment that will stay with them forever, and we’re excited to support them as they begin this next chapter.”
The prize will be paid following a validation appointment with an Allwyn Winners’ Adviser, once all necessary checks have been completed.
It is not yet known whether the winning ticket belongs to an individual or a syndicate, or where in Tameside it was purchased.
The winner will also have the final say on whether to go public and share their story.