Lucky Black Cat

Michael Eggleston has been a Sunderland Football Club supporter all his life, so when his nine-year old granddaughter Amy ran on to the pitch as the team's mascot he hoped the 'Black Cats' luck would rub off on him. And it certainly did as less than a month later Michael and wife Norma were the only ticket holders to correctly select the jackpot winning six numbers on the 7 March draw and got to keep all of the £2,703,190 pot of money. They bought their ticket at Hedworth Sub Post Office in Jarrow, and used a regular line made up of birthdays, 4,14,25,35,42,48.

The couple had already booked a 40th wedding anniversary trip to Egypt for later in the month, but on their return Michael hopes to be watching Sunderland's home matches from his own hospitality box. The winnings will also be shared with their two children and two grandchildren.

- 26/3/07