It could be you! That’s the message to Bradfordians as the hunt begins for the lucky owner of a £10 million Lottery ticket.

National Lottery organisers are urging people to check everywhere as they search for the player so they can hand over the life-changing cheque.

A spokesman said: “We’re desperate to find this mystery ticket-holder and unite them with their winnings and we’re urging everyone who may have bought a ticket in this area to check in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa – someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune!

“We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner comes forward to claim their win.”

The player, who picked numbers 5, 15, 17, 19, 20 and 47 for the October 5 draw, has until April 3 to claim their winnings.

Yesterday, a giant billboard was driven around the district announcing details of the unclaimed prize and Susan and Michael Crossland, who won £1.2 million in 2008, were in the city urging people to get hunting.

The couple, of Mirfield, used some of their winnings to build a seven-bed house so that Mrs Crossland’s three siblings, who have learning difficulties, could live with them. They also raise thousands of pounds for charity.

Mr Crossland, who still works part-time on a farm, said winning was “everybody’s dream” and there was no feeling like it.

Mrs Crossland, 49, said she went running into the street, screaming, when they won.

“It’s amazing and even now, five years on, every day is still amazing,” she said.

“It was happy shock, and then shock-shock thinking I’ve never had this amount of money. Thinking how I didn’t want life to change, but it has. It was just like ‘Wow. We never have to worry about money again.’ ”

The win came the weekend of the anniversary of Mrs Crossland’s father’s death and the winning numbers were ones he had always played.

The couple’s message to Lottery players is to check, double-check and check again for the winning ticket.

“Just look everywhere,” Mr Crossland, 45, said. “It could change their lives forever.”

Camelot publicity manager Patrick Lisoire said it was unusual for such a large prize to go unclaimed, but the search was in its early stages.

“£10 million is a huge amount of money, no matter where you live in the country,” he said.

“In my job, on a weekly or monthly basis I meet people who say, ‘it won’t be me,’ but just spend a couple of minutes to check their tickets and have the most wonderful surprise.”

  • If you’re the ticket-holder call 0845 910 0000. Anyone who thinks they bought the ticket, but lost it, can write to Camelot.