A PUB lottery syndicate was today drowning its sorrows for missing out on a £92,000 win ... after a member forgot to buy the ticket.

The 11-strong gang from the Hare and Hounds, Clayton-le-Moors, could hardly believe their eyes when their five numbers and a bonus ball came up.

But their celebrations soon turned sour when Dave Bates called up other members and said: "I'm so sorry - I forgot to do it!"

Now the team, Carol and Timothy McLaughlin, Alan Wilkinson, Ronnie Rennox, Heather Hodgkinson, Kevin Sutcliffe, John Cooper, Andy Taylor and Dean Rogers, who all live in Clayton-le-Moors, have given Dave, of Altham, his marching orders.

They have booted him out of the team after losing £8,400 each.

Carole, 35, of Whalley Road, said: "We're all gutted. None of us could believe it when those numbers came up and we all started ringing around each other before we got the dreaded phone call.

"We all met up in the pub later to drown our sorrows. Me and my husband stood to win nearly £17,000 and we had already planned a holiday and to pay off a bank loan. "Three others in the syndicate are unemployed and they would have loved the cash. We've been doing the lottery together for two years and we've won a lot of tenners in the past but nothing like this.

"I don't know if we'll ever get another bite of the cherry again.

"We made a rule at the start that if anyone forgot to put winning numbers on they would be out.

"Dave's told us he's sorry and I'm sure he feels really bad. He's also said he won't be showing his face in the pub for a few months and I don't blame him!."

And self employed roofer David, 45, said today: "I've just been an idiot.

"I even watched the Lottery and it didn't even cross my mind then that I had forgotten.

"It's been a very expensive mistake. I've let down my friends and I've been under the doctor with my blood pressure because of this.

"People in our group have forgotten to put it on before and we've won tenners. It's just typical of my luck that I forgot when we got the big one.

"I'm so very sorry for everyone involved. I wish I could turn back the clock."

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