A mother has opened up about the devastating moment she lost out on a National Lottery prize when her eight-year-old son accidentally threw away her winning ticket during a weekend tidy-up.
Claire Matthews, 36, had matched five numbers in the UK Thunderball draw on March 23, but was unable to claim her winnings after her son Zac disposed of the ticket thinking it was "just an old receipt".
"I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I honestly felt sick," she said.
Claire added: "I'd never won anything like that in my life and it was gone."
The Bristol mum had purchased her Thunderball ticket from a corner shop in Staple Hill on Friday, March 22.
She chose her usual lucky numbers: 5, 11, 16, 38, and 39.
"I've used those same numbers for months. I keep the ticket in the kitchen drawer the one with the batteries, takeaway menus and random stuff," she told Play Casino.
But on Sunday morning, Zac decided to help around the house.
"He said he wanted pocket money, so he started 'tidying' emptied the drawer, threw out receipts, wrappers, everything. He was so proud of himself," Claire explained.
Unfortunately, that included her winning ticket.
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"I checked the numbers later that night with a cuppa. I saw five of them match, and I nearly screamed. Then I went to the drawer and realised it was empty."
She had missed the Thunderball itself, but matching five main numbers still meant a £5,000 prize.
After grilling her son and realising what had happened, Claire desperately tried to retrieve the ticket.
"I was in my slippers, pulling apart the bin bags. I even walked down the road to see if the lorry was still around. But it was too late."
The local recycling collection had already come and gone.
Camelot, the National Lottery operator, confirmed to Claire that without the physical ticket or proof of purchase, the prize couldn't be claimed.
"I paid in cash, and I hadn't scanned it on the app. There was nothing they could do."
Despite the financial hit, Claire says she couldn't blame her son.
"He cried when he realised. Proper tears. He kept saying he'd buy me a new one with the money from his piggy bank. He meant it."
The experience has changed how Claire plays the lottery.
Now, she only uses the app and the kitchen drawer has a strict "no cleaning unless supervised" policy.
A spokesman for Play Casino said: “Claire’s story is heartbreaking – but far too common."
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Claire Matthews, 36, had matched five numbers in the UK Thunderball draw on March 23, but was unable to claim her winnings after her son Zac disposed of the ticket thinking it was "just an old receipt".
"I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I honestly felt sick," she said.
Claire added: "I'd never won anything like that in my life and it was gone."
The Bristol mum had purchased her Thunderball ticket from a corner shop in Staple Hill on Friday, March 22.
She chose her usual lucky numbers: 5, 11, 16, 38, and 39.
"I've used those same numbers for months. I keep the ticket in the kitchen drawer the one with the batteries, takeaway menus and random stuff," she told Play Casino.
But on Sunday morning, Zac decided to help around the house.
"He said he wanted pocket money, so he started 'tidying' emptied the drawer, threw out receipts, wrappers, everything. He was so proud of himself," Claire explained.
Unfortunately, that included her winning ticket.
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"I checked the numbers later that night with a cuppa. I saw five of them match, and I nearly screamed. Then I went to the drawer and realised it was empty."
She had missed the Thunderball itself, but matching five main numbers still meant a £5,000 prize.
After grilling her son and realising what had happened, Claire desperately tried to retrieve the ticket.
"I was in my slippers, pulling apart the bin bags. I even walked down the road to see if the lorry was still around. But it was too late."
The local recycling collection had already come and gone.
Camelot, the National Lottery operator, confirmed to Claire that without the physical ticket or proof of purchase, the prize couldn't be claimed.
"I paid in cash, and I hadn't scanned it on the app. There was nothing they could do."
Despite the financial hit, Claire says she couldn't blame her son.
"He cried when he realised. Proper tears. He kept saying he'd buy me a new one with the money from his piggy bank. He meant it."
The experience has changed how Claire plays the lottery.
Now, she only uses the app and the kitchen drawer has a strict "no cleaning unless supervised" policy.
A spokesman for Play Casino said: “Claire’s story is heartbreaking – but far too common."
Find Out More...