Wannabe millionaires playing for that life-changing lotto jackpot should thank their lucky stars for being in Bradford.

For the district has been named the sixth luckiest postcode area to live in the country according to the National Lottery.

One person in every 7,127 people living in the Bradford postal area has scooped a prize of £50,000 or more. And more than £102 million has been handed out to Bradford residents since the lottery was started in 1994.

It is a new high for the city, its previous appearance in the chart was at number 10 three years ago.

There were a number of memorable big money winners in the past 12 months, most recently in June, when Janette and Stephen Wright netted a £1.6 million windfall after buying a ticket from a newsagent's in Cleckheaton.

Before that 17 employees from the Bradford University and Bradford College print and design department each found themselves £300,000 richer after their syndicate scooped £5.2 million.

In May, warehouse manager Michael Humphreys, 56, of Lidget Green, hit the headlines with a £1 million win on a scratchcard Unemployed dad Errol Active, of West Bowling, was one of Bradford's earliest jackpot winners when he won almost £1 million in 1995, and 18 employees from Yorkshire Cable shared £74,000.

Twenty-eight staff at Thackley First School shared almost £4 million in 1997, while Louise Hall, 20, of Crossflatts, became the country's youngest jackpot winner when she won £1,029,331.

Tony and Elaine Taylor won a staggering £9.4 million while former foundry man and father-of-five Phillip Bowness, of Keighley, went straight out and bought a Porsche when he won £1.2 million in 1998 and Eccleshill dinner lady, Donna Faulkner, won £89,000 in a New Year syndicate draw.

A National Lottery spokesman said: "Bradford locals have a lot to smile about for the coming year and hopefully that optimism will continue through 2008 and help them improved their ranking in the league of luck. "

Only Newcastle featured higher in the lucky table in the north of England. At the top Medway Towns in Kent has knocked Ilford in Essex off the number one slot, boasting one top prize-winning ticket for every 6,119 adults.

Since the lottery was launched, more than £1 billion in prize money has been paid out to people living in Yorkshire and Humberside, which is now home to 217 lottery millionaires.

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