THE champagne flowed last night for former Journal reporter John Sexton who came within an ace of winning £500,000.

But after the excitment of appearing on "Who wants to be a millionaire" TV quiz show had died down the toast was to his 80 year-old Astley-born mum who had helped him on his way to a staggering £250,000 prize.

Newspaperman and horse racing expert John, who worked at the Leigh, Walkden, and Farnworth Journal offices and is currently racing editor with the Wolverhampton Express and Star, was stuck on the £64,000 mark when his mum came to the rescue.

When faced with the question: "Which fruit is the principal ingredient of slivovitz brandy?" he had no hesitation in choosing her as his phone-a-friend.

Confident Doris got him on to the £125,000 mark when she had no hesitation in giving him the correct answer "plum".

"I love you mum," said John as millions of anxious viewers and his Little Hulton born wife, Margaret, willed him on towards the million pound jackpot.

And today John revealed how he had every faith in her.

"I knew when on holiday she collected miniatures and knew she had picked-up that miniature in Yugoslavia and it had a picture of the fruit on the label."

After trying for over a year to get on the show his 15th call proved lucky.

"My goal was £32,000," said the former Canon Slade pupil who would have scooped at least £500,000 had he studied 20th century history there instead of a diet of the Elizabethan era.

With £250,000 in the bag John decided to take the money rather than answer a question on who was Prime Minister when women got the right to vote.

He was 80 per cent sure it was Lloyd George -- the correct answer -- but decided to play safe and take the cash.

"I'd intended to learn a list of kings, presidents and prime ministers but I only managed the kings.

"I'm a disciplined gambler," said John who now lives in east Yorkshire, "and at the end of the day decided I'd be less disappointed by not gambling and being but taking £250,000 rather than £500,000, than being wrong and losing £218,00.

"I'm going to invest the money, it will give us financial security for the rest of our lives."

But he promised there would be a big party for family and friends and something special for his mum and the other phone-a-friend duo who were waiting to help if needed.