They were smiling yesterday at their £4.2million National Lottery luck, but their winning ticket nearly went up in smoke after these four road workers left it in their van's ashtray overnight.

The four - who scooped the roll-over just five weeks after being told they'd have to be made redundant - stopped on the way home to buy five Lucky Dip entries.

Trevor Kimber, 47, stuffed the ticket for safekeeping overnight in the ashtray of their Ford Transit.

Next morning he and workmates David Brock, 46, Tony Fitt, 56, and David Edwards, 63, realised they were winners.
Syndicate leader Mr Brock, who bought the winner in Downham Market, Norfolk, said: "One of us normally looks after the ticket. Trevor put it in the ashtray. I know it does not sound a very safe place.

"Tony is the only one who smokes at work and he flicks the ash out of the window. Luckily for us the ticket was still there."

Theirs was one of two winning tickets in last Wednesday's draw to win £4,206,341 with numbers
6, 21, 24, 38, 39 and 48.

The men - who earn £300 a week before tax - plan to spend their £1,051,585 each on new homes, cars, holidays and treats for their families.

But all have promised to continue working out their notice so as not to let down their boss in King's Lynn.