PENSIONER John Griffiths certainly struck a right chord while performing in a concert with the Lever Singers - he returned home to receive news that he had become the latest jackpot winner in the St John's Hospice in Wirral Weekly Lottery!

"I thought somebody was taking the mickey!" said widower Mr Griffiths, who lives in New Ferry. "I took some convincing, I can tell you!"

The £2,000 windfall could not have come at a better time for the jovial pensioner. In the last six months, his washing machine has broken, his kettle blew, electric shaver went on him, his Dyson cleaner developed a fault and the heads on his video packed up.

"I reckon it has cost me about £1,800 for that lot," said Mr Griffiths, who has generously donated £200 of his winnings to St John's Hospice in gratitude for all that they did for his late wife, Betty Marjorie, who died nearly three years ago.

Each week throughout the year, the St John's Hospice lottery computer selects at random the 54 numbers which share the £3,000 weekly prize money - a top prize of £2,000, second prize of £500, third prize of £100, fourth prize of £50, 20 £10 winners and 30 £5 winners.

Membership of the lottery is open to people aged 16 or over and costs just £1 per week for one ticket, which gives the holder a unique number selected by computer with a 1-in-85 chance of winning.

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