Winning lottery ticket: £33m Lotto jackpot claimed by valid ticket holder, say Camelot

Prize money will be split if it is not won outright (PA)

The £33 million Lotto jackpot has been claimed by a valid winning ticket holder, Camelot has announced.

The record Lotto draw on 9 January totalled £66m – half of which was won by David and Carol Martin, 54, from Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

But the identity of the other winning claimant has been shrouded in mystery as lottery officials waited for someone to make a valid claim.

Camelot had declined to release details of the outlet where the winning ticket was bought, and had not informed any retailers that they may have sold the prize-winner, but had said simply that it was bought in Worcester.

The winner had until July 7 to claim their prize.

The lottery operator received hundreds of claims of lost, stolen or damaged tickets – including one from grandmother, Susanne Hinte, 48, from Warndon, Worcester, who claimed she had the winning ticket but that it had been damaged in a washing machine.

Ms Hinte presented her ticket - with a damaged barcode and no visible date - at Ambleside News in Worcester shortly after the announcement.

But no formal announcement of the winner had been made until now - and the winner has reportedly decided to remain anonymous, Sky News said.

Camelot said it was pleased to announce it had received "a valid claim on the £33,035,323 jackpot prize from the Lotto draw on 9 January, 2016".

A National Lottery spokesperson said: "We're delighted that the winner of this amazing prize has now come forward and we hope that they will enjoy their win.

"It would have been awful if the ticket-holder had missed out on this substantial and life-changing amount of money.

"We would like to remind all National Lottery players to check their tickets every time they play."