PENSIONERS were able to visit the birthplace of William Shakespeare — after they “hit the jackpot” by winning a £3,500 lottery grant.

The Maltby Residents Association, based in a sheltered housing estate in Great Lever, applied to the Big Lottery Fund Awards in February to fund a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.

The group had a six-month wait to hear whether their application had been successful.

Olwyn Cunliffe, the association’s chairman, said: “It was a fantastic weekend, something we’ve wanted to do for a while, and there was no way we could have managed it without this funding.”

After a flying visit to the historic town last year, this time the group enjoyed an afternoon in Royal Leamington Spa before an overnight stay in Warwick and the traditional sightseeing tour of Stratford the next day.

Mrs Cunliffe added: “When we went to Stratford for an afternoon, everyone said that there just wasn’t enough time to see it all. We needed a full weekend.

“Everyone thought it was just brilliant. The travel agents gave us a really good itinerary and the coach driver was wonderful.”

She also thanked their “fantastic treasurer”, Margaret Wilcox, for her hard work in navigating the complex application process.

The Maltby Residents Association, founded in 1990, supports tenants with housing or repair issues and runs social events such as providing Christmas hampers for every flat on the estate.

The group is also waiting to find out whether they have been successful in applying to the Lloyds Bank Community Fund, which could also see them given another £3,000 grant.