A COUPLE are preparing to sue National Lottery organisers Camelot for negligence because they claim the company failed to pay out more than £140,000 prize money.

Roberto Naccarato, 44, of Hodder Grove, Darwen, and his common-law wife Jean Spence, 35, say they correctly selected five winning numbers and the bonus number for the draw on September 30, 1995.

But they claim Camelot has refused to pay up after it was discovered that the winning line containing numbers 10, 16, 32, 33, 40 and bonus 29, had not been correctly printed on the couple's playing ticket.

Roberto bought his lottery ticket containing five lines at the Shell Service Station, Blackburn Road, Darwen on September 23 last year.

He said that unknown to him the centre or 'C' line had not been transposed from his play slip which he had filled in, onto the playing ticket.

However the garage staff accepted £1 for the missing line and that cash was not returned to Roberto until October 1 when the National Lottery draw had already been made.

Roberto and Jean, who have children between them aged from five to 20, claim they have been in a state of torment since their "win" which has almost forced them apart.

Roberto said: "I am a man who loves his family but this has driven a wedge between us.

"I wouldn't want anyone to go through what we have been through over these last few months.

"I was afraid Jean would leave me she has been crying nearly every day."

Jean said: "We keep hearing about how much unclaimed cash there is. It makes us wonder whether or not all the unclaimed cash is because of situations like ours."

Now the couple are warning other people to check their lottery tickets before walking away from a terminal.

Jean said: "It isn't the money it is the principal. We have been told it could take six years to come to court, but we just want to make sure other people don't lose out like we did."

A spokeswoman for Camelot said: "This matter is being investigated by Camelot's security department. Once again Camelot will reiterate that it is the responsibility of the player to check their selection numbers on the payslip.

"A player has 15 minutes in which to return to the retailer and this is mentioned in the players' Code of Practice."

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