A PAIR of Bolton shopkeepers are celebrating after bagging a £1,000 prize for their high store standards.

Pravin and Sumitra Patel have been handed a huge £1,000 prize by National Lottery operator, Camelot, for keeping high in-store standards when it comes to the sale of National Lottery games – setting them up for a brilliant Christmas with the family.

The pair run Pravin's Off license in Park Road, Westhoughton.

Pravin learned of the windfall from his Camelot rep and could not believe his luck.

He said: "I felt really excited when I was told – it was such brilliant news and I could not believe it.

“My first thought was to tell my wife Sumitra, so I told her straight away. She was really happy about the news."

The couple will keep the champagne on ice until the whole family is back together, when their daughters and son return home for the festive period.

He added: "I will use the money to have a lovely Christmas with the family. My daughters Priti and Priya have just qualified as a doctor and dentist, and my son is a medical student at Cambridge University.

"I will save the champagne that I also won to enjoy celebrating with them all."

The National Lottery is renowned for handing out big cash prizes, but it is not widely known that operator Camelot also rewards its retailers with cash prizes for their good work.

National Lottery retailers are automatically entered into a quarterly prize draw when they achieve high in-store standards for the sale of National Lottery games – such as ensuring the latest Lotto advertising is up in store.

Thanks to National Lottery players – and Camelot retail partners selling tickets week in, week out – an average of £30 million is raised every week for Good Causes across the UK.