A GRANDMOTHER has given her granddaughter a car she scooped in a national raffle.

Ellen Corbett, from Kirk Merrington, near Spennymoor, bought the winning ticket to win a Ford Ka, triumphing over hundreds of others across the country.

The raffle, organised in aid Cancer Research UK, ran throughout the charity's chain of 590 shops across the UK, selling almost £50,000 worth of tickets.

The 79-year-old, who is a keen supporter of Cancer Research UK, picked the winning ticket at the Cancer Research UK shop in Darlington where she is a familiar face.

The grandmother-of-two said: "I was completely taken aback when I was informed that I had won a car. You never think you have a chance of winning when you enter a competition that spans the UK.

"I am absolutely delighted, and will be giving the car to my granddaughter as a special treat, so I'm sure she will also be thanking Cancer Research UK.

“I shop at the Darlington branch every Thursday, and have always been an avid supporter of the charity's work, so it's a great honour to win such a fantastic prize."

Val Trotter, manager of the Cancer Research UK shop in Darlington said: "Cancer Research UK has benefited greatly from this raffle, which will help to fund vital research into a disease which one in three of us will develop in our lifetime.

"The team here at Darlington are delighted that one of our regulars has won the top prize. Mrs Corbett is a regular shopper here, and we can't thank her enough for her continued support."