First-time bingo player scoops £47,000 jackpot

By epearcy emma pearcy epearcy@heraldexpress.co.uk

A WOMAN from Newton Abbot has scooped almost £47,000 after playing bingo for the first time.

Susan Williams, of Queen Street, is reeling after winning the life-changing amount of cash during her first game at Gala Bingo in Torquay.

The 53-year-old has no immediate plans to splash out with the £46,874.19 — but has promised herself a new mobile phone.

She said: "The fact that somebody can go to their local Gala club and win the big one on their first day is just fantastic, it's unbelievable."

Miss Williams went to Gala Bingo in Temperance Street, Torquay, on Wednesday last week after she was invited by her friend, regular bingo player Sue Guppy.

Miss Williams, who moved to Newton Abbot from Shaldon in March, said: "It was chucking it down with rain and I had nothing else to do so I thought 'oh why not?' I had always wanted to give it a go."

When she won £46,874.19 on the bingo hall's High 5 jackpot, the hall erupted into a cacophony of cheers.

She said: "Because I had never played before, Sue was looking after me. It's such a fast game. Sue's hand went up even before mine. She was saying that I had won but I didn't realise how much. At first I thought it was about £5,000 but when I was told I thought 'crikey, what are they talking about' and I went a bit peculiar. Then a brandy suddenly appeared.

"You always hear about these big wins but you never think it'll happen to you."

Retired Miss Williams, who is single, has already promised another friend a trip to London but is hedging her bets about what to spend her winnings on.

She said: "If there has ever been anything I have wanted, I have saved up for it. I have said that I will get a new mobile phone because mine is very temperamental."

Gala Bingo Torquay assistant manager Wilma Stamp said: "Everybody in the club was clapping and cheering, it was absolutely electric. It's been fantastic at the Gala ever since High 5 was introduced — this is a massive win and she's a local lass.

"We are constantly hearing about the credit crunch so it's nice to have something like this happen in our community."