LOTTERY players in an Essex town have been urged to check their tickets after a second major prize went unclaimed in the area in the past six months.There are now two massive sums worth a total of more than £400,000 that have yet to be collected by those holding the winning tickets purchased somewhere in the Colchester district.

Elliot Furniss

LOTTERY players in an Essex town have been urged to check their tickets after a second major prize went unclaimed in the area in the past six months.

There are now two massive sums worth a total of more than £400,000 that have yet to be collected by those holding the winning tickets purchased somewhere in the Colchester district.

A recent Thunderball jackpot prize of £250,000 has now joined an uncollected EuroMillions prize of £167,477.30 dating from last October.

The National Lottery has urged players to “check and double-check” their tickets for the chance to claim these, particularly as the EuroMillions ticket holder - from the draw on October 5, 2007 - only has until 5.30pm on April 2 to make their claim.

A National Lottery spokesperson said: “We're desperate to find both the mystery ticket-holders in the Colchester area and unite them with their winnings - either of these amazing prizes could really make a difference to somebody's life.

“We're urging everyone to check their old tickets again or look anywhere a missing ticket could be hiding.

“Try checking in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa - someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune.

“We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winners come forward to claim their wins.”

Last November, in the space of just a few days, a seven-strong syndicate of workers from a plastics firm in the town shared a massive £4.8million while local couple Eileen and Gerald Strange scooped a cool £900,000.

After 54-year-old barman Stephen Spear picked up nearly £160,000 just 10 days later, a spokesman for Camelot - which runs the lottery - said Colchester had seen an “unprecedented” run of luck that appears to have continued for one lucky winner.

The search is now on to find the owner of the latest jackpot-winning ticket who matched the five main numbers and the Thunderball in the draw on Saturday, February 23.

The winning numbers on that date were 10, 14, 27, 28 and 31 and the Thunderball number was six. The lucky ticket-holder of this prize has until 5.30pm on Thursday August 21 to get in touch.

If nobody comes forward with the winning ticket before the deadline, then the prize money, plus all the interest it has generated, will go to the Good Causes fund.

nAnyone who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0845 910 0000.