A NEWSAGENT has been suspended from selling Lottery tickets in a row over the payment of winning tickets.

Camelot, which operates the National Lottery, took the decision after conducting an investigation into payouts at Grange Estate sub post office and JD News, in Stockton.

However, shopkeeper Jarnail Nagra last night blamed Camelot’s computer system and said any errors were nothing to do with him.

He said he fears unwitting customers could have missed out on hitting the jackpot because the machine in his shop had rejected winning slips.

“I do not want customers to think I have ripped them off,” he said.

“People are losing money, but it’s not because of me. Many customers have come into the shop saying they thought they had a winning ticket, but the machine has not paid out.

“We have been ripping up the tickets, but now we hand them back to the customers.

“One old man who regularly comes into the shop said he thought he was going mad as tickets he was sure were winning ones were rejected by the machine.”

But Camelot, whose probe was prompted by a customer complaint, disagreed.

A spokesman said the organisation was “committed to investigating allegations”

against retailers.

“Such allegations are very rare – but if a retailer is found to be in breach of their Retailer Agreement, which includes obligations to pay out prizes properly, and Camelot believes the breach is likely to undermine the integrity and security of The National Lottery and player confidence in it, we reserve the right to remove their National Lottery terminal,”

he said.

“We can confirm that following the suspension of a National Lottery retailer in the Stockton area and subsequent internal investigation, we have now terminated the outlet’s National Lottery Retailer Agreement.”

“Camelot takes matters of propriety very seriously,”

the spokesman said.

“Our ultimate duty as operator of The National Lottery is to ensure we raise as much money as possible for the good causes through selling lottery tickets in a socially responsible way. This involves running The National Lottery with the utmost integrity.”

Mr Nagra, who took over the shop four years ago, has two weeks to appeal against the decision.

The 34-year-old said since the machine was turned off at the end of last year, he was losing £500 a week in passing trade and has started a petition to have it reinstated.

One customer, Mark Howgill, who used to spend £29 a week on tickets at the shop, said he complained to Camelot when two tickets he thought were successful were rejected by the machine.

He has since been paid his £20 winnings by the operator.