A HOSPITALISED pensioner has been given an ideal 'pick-me-up' - she has become the latest 2,000 pounds jackpot winner in Wirral's newest weekly lottery.

The woman, who does not wish to be named, is currently a patient at Arrowe Park Hospital.

On Friday, she became the latest Wirral resident to scoop the jackpot in the St John's Hospice in Wirral Weekly Lottery which, since being launched in January, has enjoyed rapidly growing public support.

Each week throughout the year, the St John's Hospice lottery computer selects at random the 54 numbers which share the 3,000 pounds weekly prizemoney - a top prize of 2,000 pounds, second prize of 500 pounds, third prize of 100 pounds, fourth prize of 50 pounds, 20 10 pound winners and 30 5 pound winners.

The winning numbers are published each week in the Wirral Globe.

Membership of the lottery is open to people aged 16 or over. One pound per week buys one ticket which gives the holder a unique number selected by computer.

Officials at St John's, a registered charity, decided to launch their own local lottery following refusal of an application for National Lottery funds to help meet the 1 million pound annual running costs of the hospice, which provides invaluable care for the terminally ill and their families.

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