DAVID Smith's wife wasn't too pleased when she was woken by a phone call at 2am on Sunday. But her anger turned to delight when hubby David broke the news that his works syndicate had scooped more than £3 million on the National Lottery!

Thirty-three-year-old David, from Haydock, was working the night shift as a security manager at the News International plant on the East Lancashire Road in Knowsley when he spotted the winning numbers on a colleague's computer -- and realised that the nine-strong syndicate were in the money.

The father-of-one said: "We had been doing lucky dips for the past four months because our old numbers hadn't brought us any luck. I had been looking at our ticket earlier in the evening and when I saw the winning numbers I knew we had them."

David was unsure how he would be spending his money but said he hoped to get his name down for a season ticket for his favourite football team, Manchester United. Also celebrating is fellow syndicate member Dave Wood from Newtown. The fire safety officer said: "David phoned me in the middle of the night as well, but when he told me why I didn't mind."

Now the delighted dad-of-two is letting his big win sink in before deciding how to spend his share of the winnings, which work out at about £380,000 each, but added: "I'll definitely be treating the family to a holiday."

The other five winning members named came from the Liverpool area, while two members of the syndicate did not wish to be identified.

The ticket, which David Smith bought at the Caldo petrol station in Haydock, was one of four winners in last Saturday's roll-over jackpot and the lucky numbers were 18, 23, 30, 46, 47 and 49, with bonus ball 31.