A MOTHER-OF-TWO fears she has lost out on a £5,000 bingo win after the company awarding the prize went into liquidation.

Vera Nichol scooped the prize money at Highfield Working Men's Club, Ratcliffe Street, Darwen, after she played a 'link' game, broadcast via satellite television screens around clubs in England.

The win, in February, came two months after Vera, 52, of Anyon Street, had been told that she was being made redundant with 80 fellow workers from Vernon-Carus, a healthcare products firm.

But the company which ran the competition, London-based Network Gaming Ltd, has gone into liquidation after city investors pulled out.

The company said only 420 clubs were participating in the game and the company needed twice this number.

Vera said: "We have been writing letters to them to ask why they have not sent the money. I got a letter saying the prize money was confirmed. That was in March and I have heard nothing since."

Club secretary Ian Entwistle said: "If she doesn't get the money, we are going to have a fundraiser for her."

Network Gaming could not be contacted. A letter from them to Highfield WMC, dated March 8, said their investors had pulled out financial backing, leaving them with no funds to pay out on prizes.

It said they were confident that several other parties would step in to operate the link games and "payment should only be delayed for a week or two."

A spokesman for Smith and Williamson, the company's liquidators, said: "We are not able to discuss this case but anybody who has had prize money delayed should contact us directly."