TICKETS for the first National Lottery draw went on sale 25 years ago today so we are marking the anniversary with a look at a few of the groups and individuals who have had reason to celebrate their good fortune.

One of the biggest wins came in February 2002 when Tom Hartley, of Ulverston, picked up a cheque for£1,406,167.

The garage stores manager was at home with wife Jackie when he found out about the win by checking the numbers on Teletext.

He said: "We usually watch the draw live but my son was playing on his Play Station so we miss edit."

The money was presented by TV darts star Peter Manley.

On March 20 in 1999 a syndicate at Barrow shipyard had a £173,332 win after changing their regular numbers which were based on a combination of birthdays and ages.

The winners were Lisa Bailey, Tracie Sear, Bev Kerr, Sarah Addenbrook, Barbara Bowes and Angela Trelore - who each got £28,887.

In September 2005, nine cooks and waitresses from Stollers Furniture World, Barrow, shared £187,222.

Pastry chef Pauline Jones said: "Every week we say what we are going to spend it on.

"We never thought it would happen to us."

A syndicate of 21 members at the Steelworks Hotel, Barrow, shared £61,735 in February 2004.

In the 10 years to November2004, 276 good causes in Furness had shared £17m, with another £40m going to563 organisations in South Lakeland and £20m between 247 groups in Copeland.

Four new soccer pitches at Ormsgill and a special floor for table tennis at Park View School was the result when lottery grants were handed out by the Sports Council in July 1995.

A cheque for £27,400 was accepted by Jeff Wadsworth, on behalf of the Barrow Playing Fields Users Association and £9,060 by John Reed, for the Barrow Table Tennis Centre.

In August 1998 Barrow Borough Council got £521,000 in lottery cash towards a major fund to revamp parts of the town centre mosaics, sculptures and revamped gardens and quiet spaces.

Lottery money also gave a£960,000 boost to the Dock Museum in Barrow, helped build the Hoops Basketball Stadium at Thorncliffe School, Barrow and refurbished the based in School Street, Barrow, for Mind in Furness.

Champagne corks popped at Ulverston market hall in 1997 when four workers at the Farmhouse Pantry shared£3,408.

They were Lynne Halsall, Joyce Whalley, Abigail Dixon and Helen Wharton.

Mrs Wharton said: "We do it every week but have only ever won £10 up to now."