One of Suffolk's best-known retired headteachers has shown he still has a head for figures by winning the BBC's Bargain Hunt show.

Former Northgate and Sudbury High head Neil Watts took part in the programme with his wife Sadie - and scooped a sensational first prize of . . . £13!

East Anglian Daily Times: Neil Watts was a headteacher in Suffolk for many years.Neil Watts was a headteacher in Suffolk for many years. (Image: Lucy Taylor)

The couple, who live near Stowmarket,  have been fans of the show - the BBC's most successful daytime programme - for many years and applied during lockdown.

Mr Watts said: "It became a lockdown routine for us. We'd have a light lunch and watch Bargain Hunt and at the end they always invite people to apply to take part and we thought 'why not?'

"Apparently they get about 2,000 applications a week. But we got through them and there were a couple of online tests they put us to - and then we were invited to take part."

The programme was filmed at Ardingly in West Sussex in March - and was memorable for some of the wrong reasons.

Mr Watts said: "It was incredibly cold. We stayed at East Grinstead because filming started early and we got out to the hotel car park and found four inches of snow!

"I drove the whole six miles to where we were filming in second gear and it was so cold they had to offer us hand and feet warmers!"

East Anglian Daily Times: Sadie and Neil Watts won the princely sum of £13.Sadie and Neil Watts won the princely sum of £13. (Image: Bargain Hunt)

The show is based in Wales, and Mr Watts was not sure the programme makers knew the geography of the area: "They offered us West Sussex because it was near our home - I'm not sure they knew the difference between Suffolk and Sussex, but it was good fun and despite everything we had a wonderful time making it."

And, of course there is a big decision they still have to make after scooping such a huge profit on the show.

Mr Watts said: "It's not everyone who makes a profit at all so we were delighted. It's sitting in a jar just in front of me - we haven't got around to spending the £13 yet!"

And the show's already travelled the world - the couple have heard from family members in Thailand and the South Atlantic island of Tristan Da Cunha who saw their triumph!