A COUPLE will start the new year in the fast lane after taking the top prize in the St Francis Hospice Christmas raffle.

Margaret and Les Watts were handed the keys to a brand new chilli-red Mini Cooper by hospice mascot Frankie the Lion, at Sytner car dealership, in Harold Wood, today (Wednesday December 29).

Margaret, 55, a carer, said: “I was delighted when I received the phone call; I told them they must have made a mistake. It was such a lovely surprise - my husband was literally lost for words.”

Margaret supports the Havering-atte-Bower based charity after a close friend of hers, who died 18 months ago, received care in her home from the hospice.

She has also relies on the hospice to help the people she looks after.

“We had one lady we were visiting who clearly required pain relief,” said Margaret, “so we called the nursing team at the hospice, who came to see her in her home, and took all her pain away. I will continue to support St Francis Hospice as much as I can.”

The Christmas Grand Prize draw raised nearly �100,000 since it was launched in October.

The Elsie Pepperell Trust once again kindly donated the first prize, the Mini Cooper.

The �1 a ticket draw also provided supporters the chance to win cash prizes ranging from �50 to �1,000.

To support the hospice call the fundraising office on: 01708 723593 or email: fundraising@sfh.org.uk or visit the website: www.sfh.org.uk