A GREAT-grandmother has scooped more than £54,000 at the bingo hall she has graced for 25 years.

The 73-year-old, whose home is in the centre of Worcester, walked away with Gala Bingo's national game prize of £50,000, the regional prize of £4,521 and a club prize of £49 after Saturday's game at the Foregate Street complex.

"She's our best attender and a very popular lady," said Gala Bingo manager Colin Ricalton.

"We're all thrilled for her. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person or at a better time just before Christmas.

"I wish we had another 2,000 like her. She deserves to win."

The lucky lady, who asked not to be named for security reasons, joined the club when the old cinema was converted to a bingo hall in 1976.

''She plays around 11 sessions here each week.

With her previous biggest win totalling £400 a few years ago, Saturday's trump card, containing 41 winning numbers, was undoubtedly the big one.

"You have to wait for all the regional winners to be registered and when her name was read out at 9pm, she was shaking all over," said Mr Ricalton.

"Everyone around her was applauding as, even though it's a good place to socialise, everyone wants to win that money."

The mother-of-four, grandmother of 11 and great-grandmother of three said she planned to spoil her family over Christmas as well as look after them in the future.

"The money will be put to good use and give me a bit of security," she said.

"I already have two holidays a year and now I will be able to pop in another one."