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Doubles all round at 'luckiest pub'

Jojo Moyes
Monday 29 January 1996 00:02 GMT
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Visitors to Britain's luckiest pub were last night hoping there was something in the beer as they drank a toast to the second regular to become a National Lottery millionaire.

Jackie Green, 26, was drinking with friends in the White Lion in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, on Saturday when her numbers came up on the pub's television, winning her about pounds 10m of the shared rollover pounds 40m jackpot.

It was win the second jackpot win for White Lion regulars. The pub is also the favourite haunt of John Beisty, who with partner Mel Eddison, shared a pounds 2.5m win last summer.

"Jackie's a regular here - a happy, single girl who enjoys a night out with her pals - and she was just sat checking the numbers out on her ticket," said landlord's son Lionel Kemp.

"We thought at first she'd won pounds 100,000 and then when the last number came up the place just went wild. Jackie couldn't speak. She burst into tears and began shaking like a leaf. All the lads in the vault were cheering and shouting. The scenes were unbelievable," he said.

Britain's latest multi-millionaire then spent the next 20 minutes in the ladies' toilet, after being taken in there by her cousin.

"She was too dazed to celebrate and they left the pub 20 minutes later, still in a state of shock," Mr Kemp said. "Everyone is really pleased for her. She's just a normal, happy-go-lucky girl."

Mr Eddison said yesterday: "I just don't believe there's another winner from that pub - they must put something in the beer. I don't know Jackie but my partner, John Beisty, is a regular at the White Lion. He still goes in there."

He said he was "really pleased" for the latest winner, adding: "I'm convinced Failsworth is a lucky place and I'm going to win again."

Last night Ms Green, an office worker who lives with her divorced father, Bob, was not to be found at the White Lion. She and her family were said to be celebrating at a Manchester hotel. Camelot said that a winner "would be going public" in Manchester today.

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