A LUCKY Bradford man has scooped £25,000 as a winner in the People's Postcode Lottery draw, after signing up to the charity lottery three months ago.

Raymond Gill, 68, of Farm Hill Road, Idle, was shocked and surprised when his postcode, BD10 8DB, was picked in the lottery's Saturday Street Prize.

The retired wagon driver was able to surprise his wife Jennifer when she returned home and the couple are now planning to spend their winnings on a holiday.

Mr Gill, who started playing the postcode lottery in July, said: “This was such a surprise. I’m so glad I decided to sign up.”

“My wife was really shocked,” he added. “I think she might have her eye on the cash.”

He is looking forward to celebrating with all of his family. “My grandson Simon is in Ibiza on holiday so we can all really celebrate when he gets back,” he said. “I’ve worked hard all my life so this is a really nice surprise. I’d like to get a holiday booked, possibly Egypt.”

People’s Postcode Lottery Street Prize presenter Judie McCourt, said “I loved meeting Raymond and shocking him with this lovely big cheque. I hope he manages to treat himself.”

As a charity lottery, players have raised more than £51.4 million for charities and good causes. One charity to receive funding in the district is Crag Community Regeneration for their Blooming Marvellous Community Garden project. The project was awarded £1,806 from players to re-cultivate an old allotment site on a piece of land between Stubbing Way and Annie Street in the Windhill area of Shipley. The project aims to encourage members of the community who are currently unemployed.

And earlier this year, Yorkshire Air Ambulance bought some state-of-the-art equipment - thanks to a grant from the People's Postcode Trust.

The £8,000 was used to help buy a heli-lift for the charity's new airbase near Wake-field. The heli-lift makes it easier for air ambulance crews to move the helicopter from the landing pad to the hangar.

The People's Postcode Lottery is a charity lottery and was set up in 2008. Players play with their postcodes to win cash prizes while raising money for charities and good causes local to them. There are five draws a month with daily prizes ranging from £10 to £25,000. Each ticket costs £2. In addition there are monthly draws where one winning postcode collects £100,000 and nine Postcode Millions draws this year, with tickets in the winning postcode area sharing a £2 million prize pot.

For more information log on to postcodelottery.co.uk.