OUR heartfelt congratulations go to Ken Collinson tonight. After 50 years of reading the Evening Press and entering our competitions he has finally bagged his first prize: some garden centre vouchers.

After such a fruitless first half century, it is little wonder that the Stockton-on-the-Forest pensioner could hardly believe the news.

Please keep reading, Ken - and keep entering our contests. Now your luck has changed, there is every chance that you will not have to wait until 2054 to notch up another win.

Updated: 10:33 Friday, March 05, 2004