The winners of the local €9.7m Lotto win this week collected their prize - after a two month wait!

The family syndicate, who bought the winning Quick Pick ticket in Daly's SuperValu on Park Road in April revealed that the lucky ticket lay in a handbag, unchecked, for almost a week.

“It was sitting in my handbag for almost a week!” a member of the syndicate who scooped the largest Lotto jackpot ever in Kerry said. “Of course we heard of the big Lotto win in Kerry but never entertained the thought that it could be us – sure we never win!"

A few days passed and I was checking my ticket for the following Wednesday’s draw when I spotted the ticket in my handbag. It dawned on me that I forgot to check Saturday’s numbers. It was such a surreal moment when you realise you have won. Without even thinking about it I just started hopping all over the living room in delight. It’s so funny to think I was walking around with the winning ticket in my bag for almost a week!”

“We kept the ticket safe in a drawer at home but found ourselves checking the numbers frequently. It certainly took a while for the news to sink in… We actually won the Lotto!”

A spokesperson for the National Lottery said: “What an amazing story and it really goes to show the importance of checking your National Lottery tickets as soon as you can as our Kerry winners amazingly had a ticket worth €9.7 million in their bag without knowing. We are absolutely delighted for this family and wish them the very best for the future.”