A nine-strong syndicate of mechanics and refuse lorry workers matched five numbers and one lucky star in the EuroMillions draw to scoop a total of £291,771.

Tickets for the draw can be bought in nine European countries

It means each of the men, who are based at Ballymena Borough Council's cleansing depot, nets about £32,000 each.

It was only the second time that the group had entered the EuroMillions draw - and they missed out on the overall jackpot - a whopping £85m - by just one number.

The syndicate had the numbers 12, 15, 33, 44 and 50 and the lucky star number six.

Their second lucky star was a nine instead of a two.

But ticket holder for the syndicate, Jimmy Marrs, 49, a single man of Drumack Road, Rasharkin, said the men are simply delighted.

He said that after the excitement of seeing their numbers come up it took quite a bit of explaining to his colleagues that they really were in the money.

"They didn't believe me at first but we are all over the moon," he explained.

Another man, Jimmy Gregg, had only joined the syndicate last week, replacing another man who thought £1.50 was too much!

"I thought it was too much myself till I won it," laughed Jimmy, who added that they would be giving the man who opted out a "bit of stick."

"I haven't seen him but I know I would be feeling sick," he said.

So what are the men going to do with all their cash?

"I'm going to pay my mortgage first," said Jimmy, who pointed out that in most cases the Ballymena men would just have to "hand the money over to the wives".

The National Lottery said there were a total of 18 individuals or groups who matched five numbers and one lucky star.

No-one won last week's £85m jackpot prize which means that this week's EuroMillions lottery draw will see another record jackpot up for grabs.

The draw, run by the National Lottery and operators in eight other countries, looks set to be worth £100m next week.