WARRINGTON is the place to be for National Lottery jackpots after winners were announced in the town for the second time in two weeks.

A syndicate of six former Birchwood work colleagues has scooped £1,758,997 in the main Lotto draw.

The huge win was announced today, Tuesday, at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, following a national appeal after the jackpot went unclaimed for six weeks.

Julie Phillips bought the winning ticket from the NL Kiosk in the Golden Square on November 30.

Other members of the syndicate are Joan Holliday, aged 67; Anne Jones, aged 63; Sharon Heaton, aged 44, and Christine Cooper, aged 66. 

A sixth female member wished to remain anonymous.

Julie carried the ticket around in her purse with other receipts and tickets until yesterday, Monday, oblivious to the fact it was worth more than a million pounds.

She realised the group had won after checking the ticket by chance while out shopping in the town centre.

The mum said she buys a month’s worth of tickets at once and does not check for a win until the next lot is bough four weeks later.

“With Christmas being so busy I had just not checked the last ticket we bought,” said Julie.

“It was only because I was in Warrington shopping and I walked past the kiosk where I normally buy our tickets that I decided to check.

“As I got to the front of the queue, the machine stopped working.

“I was about to walk away when the assistant managed to get it working again.

“The machine made a strange ringing sound and the assistant said I would have to call Camelot.

“I didn’t know it was a jackpot win.

“People had gathered around the kiosk and I jokingly said I’m going to be in the Warrington Guardian next week.”

Each won £293,166, with winning numbers 10, 12, 17, 30, 42, 28.

The syndicate, who have played the lottery for 20 years, met while working at Salsteam, now Norbert Dentressangle, on Birchwood Lane. 

Five of them had already retired before the lottery result.

They play six lines a week and always use the same numbers.

Julie’s line was the winning selection, with numbers picked from 20-year-old son Jack’s birthday and the door number of her house.

She is now planning to pay for his master’s degree in Sport Performance Analysis.

Joan is swapping plans for a carpet shampoo for new carpets throughout the house, while Anne will visit her son in Australia with her daughter.

Sharon is considering a request for a new car from her daughter, and Christine wants to look after her family.

The group, four of whom are now retired, had considered quitting the lottery after entry went up to £2. 

The win follows Orford couple Michael and Margaret Sampson who celebrated a £585,956 Lotto win on January 10.