Nine of the winning pensioners Picture Ref: 76934-351THE champagne corks were popping at a Rodbourne sheltered housing complex where a group of residents were celebrating their lottery jackpot win.

The 21 winners were still struggling to digest the news of their £9,420,874 syndicate scoop.

As revealed in yesterday's later edition of the Adver, the residents and scheme manager of Margaret Matthews Court in St Albans Close won the National Lottery's Satur-day rollover with the six winning numbers 14, 22, 25, 27, 45 and 47.

Nineteen of the group will get £392,536 but organiser Rena Flipping, 74, and her partner Roy Burnett, 81, had larger shares in the syndicate and together they have won £1,962,682.

Most of the group are still too stunned to make plans for spending the money, but Rena and Roy, who became a couple a year ago after being friends for years, are the exceptions.

Roy said: "We're going to buy a bungalow in The Lawns."

Roy wrote his car off three weeks ago, so he's going to buy a new Vaux-hall.

But first he's going to look after his family.

He said: "I'm going to give my daughter Margaret a nice little sum, and both her children too.

"And I'll be putting something in an account for my four grandchildren."

Rena said: "This is brilliant. It's a bit numbing at first but now I'm getting into it. It's the sort of thing I thought only happened to other people."

Phyllis Handley, 85, has been in the syndicate for ten years.

She said: "I'll have a little share round the family, and then I hope to have a holiday. I've always been a traveller, and I'd like to visit Cyprus again."

Jim Smith, 70, and his wife Mary, 61, each had a share in the syndicate.

Mary is enjoying a winning streak at the moment, with little wins on the Grand National and the bingo in the last seven days.

She said: "I just want to see my three sons set up."

Jim said: " This is unbelievable. But we won't be moving anywhere. We have bad health, and everything we need is here."

Sandra Fitzpatrick, 51, is the manager of the complex, only joined the syndicate six weeks ago.

She said: "It's absolutely wonderful. I can't believe it. Only on Tuesday I celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary so this is the icing on the cake."

She has no intention of giving up her job. She said: "I don't know what I'll buy. I'll take financial advice, but I'll carry on working."

Dave Andrew