A 74-YEAR-OLD woman has won more than £58,000 at bingo and is sharing the money with the friend who goes with her to the bingo hall.

The lucky winner, who doesn't want to be named, has been a member of the Hippodrome in Corporation Street, St Helens, for nine years and plays there three or four times a week.

She won the National Bingo Game prize of £50,000, plus the regional prize of £8,084 and the house prize of £56. She completed a full house in 38 numbers, the fewest anywhere nationwide.

The woman, who has been a widow for 11 years, has a son and daughter and two grandchildren, aged 19 and 24. Her friend, who was 70 last Friday (August 11) lives close by and is also a widow. They holiday together every year and are off to the Isle of Wight in the near future.

The delighted winner said: "Our previous best wins were about 12 years ago. My friend won £400 one night and I won £400 the week after, but we have had nothing big since.