THE lucky winners of Dorset Echo Bingo have been presented with their cash prizes.

The winners of the game, which ran for four weeks during May and June, paid a visit to the Dorset Echo offices on Tuesday to pick up their share of the prize pot.

Participants could find a new set of numbers in their copy of the Dorset Echo every day and were able to cross them off their bingo cards.

Each week's victors, who were able to cross off all of their numbers, picked up a share of the £500 pot for their game.

There were three winners in the first week, two in the second and no winners for the final two weeks of the competition.

Elizabeth Lake, from Weymouth, won £166.66 in the first week of Dorset Echo Bingo and said it was a "nice surprise" to find out that she had won some money.

She added: "I thought there would be loads of people. I could not believe it.

"I would like to say thank you very much to the Echo. I wish they would do it again."

Dorchester resident Rachel Hall also picked up a prize of £166.66 in the first week of the game.

She said: "It is really amazing to actually have won. I have already spent it on a vet's bill.

"I was quite close with a few of the weeks, but it is nice that there are lots of different winners.

"It is just really lovely for the Echo to run this."

Portland resident Carol Gould was the final winner in week one.

Marilyn Robinson, from Portland, and Karen Pallister, from Portesham, bagged £250 each in week two of the game.

The winners told the Echo they would choose to spend the money in a variety of ways, including on caravan holidays and giving to local charities.

Dorchester-based care company Medvivo Careline sponsored the competition.

Adele Walker, assistant business development manager at Medvivo, said: "On behalf of Medvivo Careline, I wish to congratulate each of the bingo winners.

"The bingo was a fantastic competition, which Medvivo was delighted to sponsor."