National Lottery winner finally collects £1million prize after leaving winning ticket gathering dust

A mystery ticket-holder has finally stepped forward to collect a £1million after leaving their winning ticket gathering dust.

The winner, from east Cheshire, purchased their ticket for the draw on July 4 - but left it unchecked for weeks before realising they had become a millionaire..

The ticket-holder is one of 14 people who became millionaires in one night alone.

Their identity remains unknown, with no details yet released about whether the claimant is an individual or part of a syndicate

Andy Carter, Senior Winners' Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: "Knowing that one lucky ticket-holder can enjoy their summer as a millionaire is fantastic news.

"We're thrilled for the winner and look forward to helping them through the process and start making those once-in-a-lifetime plans a reality."

The prize is now subject to Allwyn's standard validation process before it can be paid out.

Ten of the 14 millionaires created that evening won through the Guaranteed Millionaire Raffle.

The Cheshire East ticket matched the winning raffle code AQUA 0049 1681, leading to the winner to take home the life-changing sum.

The ticket was bought somewhere in the Cheshire East area. However, the exact retailer has not been disclosed.

No further personal details about the winner will be shared unless they choose to go public with their good fortune.

Allwyn, which operates The National Lottery, confirmed the claim had been received and would now undergo its standard checks to protect the integrity of the game.

The claim must pass through a stringent validation procedure that ensures the utmost compliance with the game's rules and terms.

But, once those checks are complete, the prize money will be handed over during a meeting with one of Allwyn's Winners' Advisers.

After payment, the winner can decide whether to reveal their identity or stay anonymous.

The revamped Lotto format is expected to produce roughly 345 millionaires each year, up sharply from around 140 previously.

More than 100 millionaires have already been created since the beginning of the year.

Since its launch in 1994, The National Lottery has distributed over £53 billion to Good Cause projects across the UK, funding more than 680,000 initiatives.

Players contribute approximately £33 million every week to community projects spanning grassroots sport, local arts, heritage and neighbourhood schemes.

In total, more than £103billion in prize money has been awarded to players, with over 8,000 millionaires made along the way.