A LOTTERY syndicate has missed out on a £178,000 win after forgetting to buy the ticket.

Gail Ellwood and mum and daughter Susan and Kelly Cooper had five numbers plus the bonus ball on last Wednesday's draw.

But their dreams of new cars, fancy holidays and a shopping spree to London were short-lived when they realised Gail had not bought the ticket.

Susan, of Burnley, said: "It just wasn't meant to be was it? I watched the show and thought we had two or three numbers, then I thought four and when I looked it was five and the bonus.

"I really didn't know whether Gail had put the numbers on because she had gone on holiday but I started thinking about new cars and a big shopping trip." The morning after the draw, Susan telephoned Gail to discover the awful truth but the girls, who all work at Debenhams, Blackburn, are still friends.

Gail, who lives in Blackburn, said: "I went on holiday and no one mentioned the lottery or anything so I didn't bother. I wanted to go to the Caribbean and get a car but it's just one of those things, isn't it?."

And 20-year-old Kelly, who works with Gail at the store's Clinique make-up counter, said: "We didn't think she would have put it on but there was just a small chance she might have.

"It would have been more than £60,000 each and I was thinking I'd throw a big party, get a car, all sorts of things.

"I just can't believe it, the money would have changed my life but we're all still friends."

The three only started the syndicate recently and put £3 on each draw.

Susan said: "We'll carry on with the same numbers and hopefully our luck will come up again."

The trio have since won £20 on Saturday's draw.

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