A school National Lottery syndicate has beaten odds of 1,600,000,000-to-one to scoop a big prize for the second time.

The lucky winners - 11 cleaners and one teacher - picked up almost £182,000 in June, 1998.

Now they have proved that lightning can strike twice by matching five numbers and the bonus ball again to land £63,870.

And last night, the syndicate, from Easingwold School, in North Yorkshire, enjoyed a champagne celebration to toast their success.

Syndicate leader Valerie Murray, 42, said they were stunned by their second victory in last Wednesday's draw.

"We were all a bit shell-shocked to win twice - it's something we all hoped for but never really thought would happen," she said.

Valerie said she had not initially believed fellow syndicate member Sandra Cooke, who was the first to tell her of the win. "Once I got home I thought I had better check the ticket just in case Sandra was right and she was."

Valerie, whose daughter Aisha picked out the winning numbers the first time the syndicate won, added: "We are still going to go for a third time - we can smell another win in the air."