millionaire punter

Curious and curiouser...The Bedale millionaire punter yet to collect his winnings:

Despite visiting one William Hill betting shop where it was confirmed that his 50p bet had won him a world record £1million profit, a Yorkshireman has yet to contact the shop in Thirsk where he placed his wager on Friday to arrange for payment.

"We have been maintaining a vain vigil for the mystery punter," said Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe. "While we are quite happy to earn a day or two's interest on the massive winning wager we are baffled as to why the winner - a man in his late fifties or early sixties, we believe, has not contacted us as yet to arrange for payment of his recoird £1million winnings."

The man placed his 50p bet on eight horses running on Friday - the first named Isn't That Lucky and the last, A Dream Come True. All eight won, overcoming odds of 2,000,000/1 and making him Britain's first betting shop millionaire.

However, the man's luck seems to have run out - he staked £2.50 on Saturday, and lost the lot. "At that rate in 400,000 days' time we should have won the million back," commented Sharpe.