Lucky Milton Keynes winner becomes overnight millionaire after finding their National Lottery ticket from five weeks ago

A National Lottery ticket bought in Milton Keynes has come up trumps for a lucky winner who is set to become an instant millionaire.

The person, who has not yet been identified, is claiming the £1m prize for the July 19 draw, where they had five main numbers and also the bonus ball.

The reason for the delay in claiming is not known. It has not been specified whether the ticket was lost or the claimant simply forgot to check.

A spokesperson for Camelot UK Lotteries Limited, operator of The National Lottery, has today (Tuesday) confirmed it has received the claim and it is now going through the process of validation.

this includes checks to ensure the game’s rules, terms and conditions are adhered to and the integrity of The National Lottery is protected.

"Subject to validation, the prize will then be paid at an appointment with one of Camelot’s Winners’ Advisers,” said the spokesperson.

They confirmed the ticket was purchased somewhere in the the City of Milton Keynes unitary authority area.

“Once the ticket has been validated and paid, the ticket-holder will then decide whether or not to go public and share their news. There will be no information on whether it is an individual or syndicate winner, or where the ticket was purchased, unless the ticket-holder decides to go public,” they said.

Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at The National Lottery, said: “What amazing news for this lucky ticket-holder who has claimed their amazing prize. We will now focus on supporting the ticket-holder through the process and help them to begin their life-changing journey.

“Players can buy and check their tickets online by downloading the National Lottery app or at national-lottery.co.uk. Players can also buy and check tickets in retail. Playing online via the app or website means that your ticket is checked, and you get an email notification if you win a prize. You can also scan your retail tickets on the National Lottery app to check if you're a winner.”

With all National Lottery draws, players have 180 days from the day of the draw to claim their prize if they have the winning ticket.

Anyone who has any queries or who believes they have the winning ticket for any of the National Lottery draws within the 180-day deadline should call the National Lottery Line on 0333 234 5050 or email [email protected].

Anyone concerned about lost or unchecked tickets may like to consider either setting up a National Lottery Direct Debit or playing online at www.national-lottery.co.uk. Numbers can be entered in advance and lucky winners are notified online if their numbers come up. For further information call 0333 234 4433 or visit www.national-lottery.co.uk

By playing any National Lottery game, players generate over £30M each week for National Lottery-funded projects. This funds everything from hundreds of small projects in local communities, to supporting the growth of women’s and girls’ football right across the four nations as the Lionesses made history in this year’s World Cup. To date £47BN has been raised for National Lottery Good Causes, with more than 670,000 individual grants awarded.