Redundant engineer scoops £16,000 prize. (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Redundant engineer scoops £16,000 prize.

REDUNDANT engineer Chris Hopkinson has had a change in fortune after scooping £16,000 on the television quiz show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

The 33 year-old from Bibury successfully answered a series of questions on the ITV show before reaching the crunch question for £32,000 - what is the first name of BBC TV show character Dixon of Dock Green?

He decided to take the money because he was not sure of the answer.

"I had an inkling but having a £16,000 cheque in my hand was too much to risk," he said.

"I did have the right answer - which was George - in my head but I decided to walk away."

Chris' wife Elaine looked on as he worked his way through a series of questions read by gameshow host Chris Tarrant.

"All the way through we were convinced nothing was going to come of it," said Chris.

"Then about three weeks after I rang I got a call back. "I only found out the night before that we were going on."

Chris rang his mum Pat who was cat sitting at their home in Bibury to help him answer one of the questions.

Now Chris, a former gas engineer, plans to use his winnings to pay off some loans.

"We will put the rest of the money aside and take stock," he added.

Caption: Chris Hopkinson receives his cheque from Chris Tarrant