AN EBBW Vale woman has scooped more than £51,000 in a Newport bingo hall confirming it as one of the luckiest clubs in the country.

Retired 67-year-old school dinner supervisor Maureen Hartsthorn completed a 'full house' in 43 numbers at the Castle Club on Saturday afternoon to win the National Bingo Game prize of £50,000, plus a combined regional and club prize of £1,237 and £139.

Mrs Hartsthorn joined the Castle Club seven years ago and plays there four times a week. She was with her husband Raymond, a retired steel worker, when she won.

A delighted Mrs Hartsthorn, who has two daughters, a son, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild, said: "I shall look after my family first and then have a holiday in the new year."

She will be presented with her cheque at a party to be held at the Castle on Sunday, December 28.

The club is building a reputation as the luckiest in Britain after a spate of big wins in recent months.

On November 29, 47-year-old Newport nurse Pat Hatherall, from Maesglas, won £102,895 on the National Game.

On October 15, Arlene Doughty, a supermarket check-out operator, won £60,350 and a retired 52-year-old Blackwood nurse won £115,794 on October 3.

Castle's manager Paul Braithwaite has had numerous National Game winners during his bingo career.

He said: "I was lucky at Swansea and had nine or ten there and brought the luck with me here.

"We have to be the luckiest club in the country at the moment.

"This year we have had five national winners, paying out over half a million pounds."

The National Bingo Game is played every night of the year except Christmas Day. The weekly payout is now more than £1 million.