Southend-on-Sea bingo competition

Mecca Bingo’s Peter Houston presents Debbie Bennett with her £500 cheque, aided by the Echo’s Hannah Dornan

Eight bingo winners in Southend-on-Sea have now collected their winnings, reports the area’s local paper, The Echo.

The competition – which was run with Mecca Bingo in Southend – involved bingo cards being delivered with the local paper, The Echo. The bingo numbers were then announced in the paper every day.

In total, there were four games, and the winners of these games received a £500 jackpot.

The first game was split between four winners, each received £125.

One of the winners was Mavis Sage, 80, of Hockley, who speaking to The Echo, said: “We’re going to spend it on some paint to do up the kitchen.

“We’ve wanted to do it for years and now we can.”

Her fellow £125 winner Pamela Hawkins, of Canvey, said she still couldn’t believe she had won.

“It’s a nice bonus; I had to keep checking to make sure it was real. I thought I’d made a mistake and circled the wrong number.”

Sue Raymond, 54, of Billericay, won £500 in the second game. Speaking to The Echo, she said: “I still can’t believe it but I have no idea what to spend it on. At the minute, it’s just sitting in the bank.

“I’m not normally lucky, but the same week I got three numbers on the lottery and won £25, so if they say luck comes in threes, I’m just waiting for the next thing.”

Debbie Bennett, of Rochford, was the sole winner of the third game.

She said: “I feel so lucky to be the only winner that week, with so many other people taking part. I am very grateful to the Echo and Mecca Southend.”

The final game was won by Janice Shields, of Mynchen, Basildon, and Mrs Stoneman from Southend. The two each took home £250.

Peter Houston, operations manager at Mecca Bingo Southend, said: “It was nice to be able to meet all the winners and to hear what plans they have for their winnings.”