THERE was huge excitement at a York bingo hall when a family of four scooped more than £22,000.

The group was playing at Mecca Bingo in Fishergate when they won the national and regional prize – a total of £22,392.99.

After completing their ticket in the National Bingo Game in the lowest number of calls, the delighted winners received £20,000 national prize money and an extra £2,392.99 for winning regionally.

They celebrated alongside 60 other bingo players in York.

The group, who have not been named, were understood to have been two adults in their fifties and two in their twenties or thirties.

Jon Dale, a team leader at Mecca Bingo, saId: “One lady in the group was very excited and rushed outside. When you get a win like that it’s like a win for the club, everyone who comes in gets excited. It was a good atmosphere.”

About 71,000 tickets were being played nationally at the time of the York win, Mr Dale said. He said the last win of such a scale happened about six months ago.

In 2006, Clifton Bingo Hall was described as being “charmed” after a punter won more than £100,000.

The preceding year an £18,000 prize and a national £101,000 jackpot was scooped in the space of only two nights and a retired HGV driver drove off with £202,000. In 2003, a mother-of-five, also from Acomb, won £86,000 there, and another mum picked up £26,000.