The hunt is on for the owners of three winning lottery tickets as a huge cash sum remains unclaimed.
The tickets which matched the five main numbers of the Set for Life lottery draw on January 9 were bought in County Durham.
And while it is not known whether three people chose the same numbers, or if the same ticket was mistakenly purchased multiple times, £10,000 a month for one year is yet to be collected.
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“This is incredible. Whether these prizes are one lucky ticket-holder or more than one ticket-holder who have happened to have played the same numbers in the same draw, it’s a total of three prizes worth £10,000 a month for one year waiting to be claimed,” said Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at The National Lottery.
“Did you visit family or friends in County Durham over the festive season or over New Year and buy a Set For Life ticket or are you a Set For Life player who lives in the area? We’re desperate to find the ticket-holder or holders and unite them with their winnings.”
The winning Set For Life numbers on that date were 7, 16, 24, 29, 31, and anyone with a winning ticket has until July 8 to come forward or the prize money will go to help National Lottery-funded projects across the UK - but Andy is remaining hopeful.
“We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner or winners comes forward to claim their win or wins,” he said.
“We’re urging everyone who bought a ticket in this area to check their old Set For Life tickets again – the easiest way to do this is via the National Lottery app – or look anywhere a missing ticket could be hiding. Try checking in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa. What a way to start 2023 these prizes would be.”
Anyone not in possession of their ticket, for whatever reason, but believes they have a genuine claim can still make a case in writing to Camelot, which runs the National Lottery, but it must be within 30 days of the draw.
You can follow ChronicleLive's coverage of the Set for Life draws every Monday and Thursday from 6pm.
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