A LUCKY Colcestrian has claimed a £250,000 lottery prize, weeks after another six-figure prize went unclaimed.

The winner of the quarter of a million pounds - which had been unclaimed for six weeks - has opted to keep their identity a secret.

A National Lottery spokesman said: "We're delighted that the winner of this prize has now come forward and we hope that they will enjoy their win.

"It would have been awful if the ticket-holder had missed out on this substantial and life-enhancing amount of money.

"We would like to remind all National Lottery players to check their tickets every time they play."

The winning ticket was for the Thunderball draw on February 23.

At the beginning of the month, a Colchester resident kissed goodbye to £167,477.30 after the prize was not claimed 180 days after the draw. The money went to charity.

The latest winner makes that unclaimed Euro Millions prize a blip in the amazing run of lottery luck the town has enjoyed.

In consecutive draws in November, a syndicate of seven workers at Hythe Offset Printing shared a £4.8 mil;lion jackpot and West Mersea couple Eileen and Gerald Strange scooped £909,414.

Days later, Stephen Spear, barman at Colchester Billiards and Snooker Club, won £158,317.