Time running out for €10m lottery winner

The UK National Lottery winner who scooped a £7m (€10m) jackpot after buying a ticket in Northern Ireland has just one week left to claim the glittering prize.

The ticket, which was bought in Belfast six months ago, has remained unclaimed.

If the winner doesn’t come forward by Thursday, February 3, the fortune will go to the lottery’s Good Causes fund .

Catherine Jordan from the National Lottery’s Belfast office said: “Now is really the last chance for the winning ticket to be found. It will be a great pity if the winner doesn’t come forward.

“However, the Good Causes will benefit – not only by £7m (€10m) but also by the small fortune that’s built up in interest over the past six months,” she added.

The ticket will become invalid after 5.30pm next Thursday – 180 days after it was bought in the Lotto Extra Draw on Saturday, August 7 last year.

The lucky numbers were 3, 5, 8, 18, 28 and 48.

If the ticket holder comes forward it will be the third biggest win in Northern Ireland in 10 years of the British National Lottery.

Last year, Belfast grandmother Iris Jeffrey picked up £20.1m (€29.1m), the biggest ever single lottery win.

Mrs Jeffrey claimed her prize almost a month after the winning draw after lottery operator appealed for people to check their tickets.

Eight years ago Belfast bus driver Peter Lavery won a £10.2m (€14.7m jackpot.)

Meanwhile, lotto players in London were urged today to dig out their tickets after a jackpot of almost £4m (€5.8m) remained unclaimed.

Camelot revealed the winning ticket was bought in London’s upmarket borough of Richmond upon Thames for the draw on New Year’s Day.

The winning numbers were: 4, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 40.

The mystery holder has until June 30 to come forward after which time the cash will go into a fund set up to help good causes.

A spokesman for the UK's National Lottery, referring to the Richmond upon Thames winner, said: “There were some big parties happening well into New Year’s Day that left people with a sore head.

“Maybe that is the reason this winner didn’t get round to checking their ticket.”