LOTTERY players in Basildon are being urged to check their tickets after a £1million prize went unclaimed.

The National Lottery is hunting for a Lotto Millionaire Raffle winner who bought their ticket in the borough.

The lucky winner from the Lotto draw on Saturday, January 7, has still to check their ticket and claim their prize.

For every Lotto line played, players automatically receive a Lotto Millionaire Raffle code printed on their ticket.

The winning code on January 7 was AQUA 4351 1168 and the lucky ticket-holder has until July 6 to claim their prize.

To help jog Lotto players’ memories about what was happening on the date of the draw in question local football clubs, Canvey Island and Billericay Town, were in action in the Ryman Premier League.

Whilst The Blues of Billericay went down 2-1 away at league leaders, Bognor Regis Town, The Gulls enjoyed a morale-boosting 1-0 home win against Dulwich Hamlet in their fight to climb away from the wrong end of the league table.

Anyone not in possession of their ticket, for whatever reason, but who believes they have a genuine claim can still make a claim in writing to Camelot, but it must be within 30 days of the draw.

But Southend players are also being reminded to check their tickets after as the Lottery is still on the hunt for Euromillions UK Millionaire Maker winner, whose ticket has gone unclaimed since the draw on Tuesday 4 October, 2016. 

The winner of the £1million ticket has until April 2 to claim their prize. 

If no-one comes forward with the winning tickets before the prize claim deadline, then the prize money, plus all the interest it has generated, will go to help National Lottery-funded projects across the UK.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at the National Lottery, said: “We’re eager to find the mystery ticket-holder and unite them with their winnings – this amazing prize could really make a huge difference to somebody’s life.

"We’re urging everyone who bought a Lotto ticket in this area to check their old tickets again or look anywhere a missing ticket could be hiding.

"Try checking in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa – someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune. We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner comes forward to claim their win."

With all National Lottery draws, players have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their prize if they have the winning ticket.

Anyone who has any queries or who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0844 338 7551 or email help@national-lottery.co.uk.

For further information call 0845 912 5000 or visit www.national-lottery.co.uk.