Missing Tameside Lotto millionaire comes forward to claim £1m prize four months after the draw, weeks before it expires

A Tameside resident spent four months unwittingly sitting on a winning £1m Lotto ticket bought on 1 July, finally coming forward after a national appeal by Allwyn before the prize expires in December. The ticket matched five main numbers and the Bonus Ball in Round 2, with winning numbers 5, 8, 26, 33, 39, 42 and Bonus Ball 54. The claim now goes through Allwyn's validation process before the prize is paid.

Senior Winner's Advisor Andy Carter visited Tameside landmarks including Portland Basin and Hartshead Pike as part of the renewed search this week.

Once validated, the winner will decide whether to go public or remain anonymous — Lotto has now created 151 millionaires since the start of 2026.