A SELFLESS elderly Cirencester woman who won £500 on her local lottery pool has decided to give most of it away to her church.

Pensioner Irene Bartlett (pictured) won the cash after signing up to play the Gloucestershire Lottery – which was set up to raise funds for local charities, in particular The James Hopkins Trust and Have a Heart Appeal.

But the 77-year-old, who lives in Trafalgar Road, said she nearly didn’t get her winnings after mistaking the phone call from the Lottery for a sales call.

She said: "I decided to sign up to the Gloucestershire Lottery after reading about it in a magazine and when I realised it was set up to help local charities I didn’t hesitate.

"I was delighted when I was told I was the winner although I nearly didn't believe them because I completely forgot about it and thought it was a sales call.

"I went to put the phone down but then I realised it must be true.

"The man told me he was from the Gloucestershire Lottery and that I was the winner of £500 I was so surprised.

"I have played the national lottery for years but never won more than a tenner so was over the moon when I was told I had won the top prize."

Irene, who is a keen church-goer and a supporter of many charities including The James Hopkins Trust, has been playing the local lottery for a few weeks.

She pays £4.33 each month to have a chance of winning the £500 top prize.

Irene decided to sign up to the pool because some of the money she pays is donated to the James Hopkins Trust which was set up to help severely disabled and life limited young children in Gloucestershire to enrich their lives.

"It is such a great charity and I just thought I support them anyway so why not donate while also being put forward to win some money," she said.

Irene, who last won a top prize in a competition in 1963, has now decided to donate most of her winnings to her church.

She said: "I wanted to donate some money to the church for a long time but couldn’t afford much, so this is great.

"I know they will really appreciate the help."

For more information on the Gloucestershire Lottery and how to play visit gloucestershirelottery.co.uk.