WHEN Anne Bailes announced that she had won £550 on The Northern Echo's Bingo game her husband and two daughters did not believe her.

The 49-year-old, of Blagden Grove, Greenfields Dene, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, even had to double check her numbers before ringing in her claim.

She said: "I was shocked because I have never won a competition before, and I had to check the numbers again to make sure.

"My family thinks it is great now they believe me. My husband didn't think that people win in these sort of things.''

Mrs Bailes, who works for Darlington Building Society in Bishop Auckland, said that she and her husband, Colin, had been planning on buying a new bathroom suite before the windfall so the cash would go towards that.

She said: "I think it will be nice to have something to show for my winnings."