A HAMPSHIRE punter has claimed a huge win on the lottery - just hours before the deadline ran out.

The mystery gambler is now £162,822 richer after picking up the prize that had been on offer since April 11.

As the 160-day deadline started to run out yesterday, lottery officials contacted the Daily Echo to launch one final appeal in the hunt for the missing mini jackpot winner. Remarkably, within a just few minutes, the firm received a dramatic call from a lottery player, telling them excitedly: "I've found it.''

Camelot officials have not revealed the identity of the extraordinary winner or in what circumstances the ticket was found.

But they were due to speak to the lucky person as to whether he or she was willing to go public.

The treasure chest awaited the ticket holder who chose numbers 2, 19, 37, 38, 44 and 49, with the bonus ball 33.

It was the second close call Camelot has received.

Spokeswoman Jennie Dowden said: "One major cheque running into hundreds of thousands of pounds was claimed a day before the deadline.''

If the ticket had remained unclaimed, the money would have swelled the Good Causes Fund. Only last year there was a similar dramatic hunt in Hampshire for the holder of a £1m ticket. Amazingly, no one came forward to claim the cash.

Throughout the UK, more than £34m remains in unclaimed prizes from the lottery. If the winner does not come forward, the £162,000 plus will boost the staggering £415.4m which has already been passed on to the Good Causes Fund.