MOTHER ALLOWED TO CLAIM £12M LOTTERY WIN AFTER TICKET BINNED BY SHOPKEEPER

Kath Main, 46, from Pontypridd in South Wales, will be permitted to claim a £12 million lottery jackpot following a 30-day investigation by National Lottery operator Allwyn. The winning ticket was discarded by the owner of a Londis shop in Abercynon after the scanner failed to register her numbers as a win. Allwyn has concluded that Ms Main may claim the prize provided no other claimant comes forward by 3 December.

Ms Main's mother took the ticket to the shop, where staff reported that the machine "did not beep" and the screen showed no indication of a win. By the time Ms Main discovered she had won the 6 June draw, the ticket had already been disposed of. She submitted an appeal to Allwyn supported by proof of purchase and doorbell footage documenting her movements. Her winning numbers—8, 10, 26, 30, 35, and 42—derive from her birthday, her husband's birthday, their respective ages when they began playing 20 years prior, and two random selections.

Allwyn stated that it is the only major lottery operator able to pay a winner who has lost their ticket, subject to investigation to confirm the claimant's identity. The company conducts such investigations to ensure any claim originates from the rightful ticketholder before paying out once the claim period expires 180 days after the draw. Ms Main, who works as secretary of a rugby club, has previously stated she hopes to use part of the winnings towards a Lions rugby tour of New Zealand.