Sally Clay’s decision to switch from the National Lottery to something closer to home paid dividends last month - £4,500 worth.

The Romford resident scooped the rollover second prize in the St Francis Hospice lottery on February 22, which had been building up at a rate of £500 a week since the end of 2012.

“After he retired, my dad became a volunteer driver for St Francis Hospice, taking patients to the day therapy unit,” she said. “My godmother was also cared for by the hospice – so signing up for their lottery seemed a good thing to do to support a local charity.

“We have three numbers in the draw – one for me, one for my husband, and one for my son – but as they were all registered in my name I get the winnings,” she joked.

And mother-of-six Janine Burke, of Cherry Tree Lane, Rainham, scooped the £1,000 first prize in the lottery on February 22 – her second such success since she signed up to the lottery in October.

“I started playing after my dad William was cared for in the hospice during the summer,” she said. “The nurses and doctors were so lovely and when they said they relied on donations to pay for their services my mum and I decided we would sign up for the lottery.”

Hospice marketing manager Esther Preston said: “With the National Lottery putting up its price of a ticket to £2 there’s never been a better time to play our weekly lottery.

“You can sign up at www.sfh.org.uk or call 01708 771433 to buy tickets, or visit any St Francis Hospice shop to buy a lottery gift voucher as a present.

“And all out shops, including our branches in Barkingside, Dagenham Heathway, Upminster, Brentwood, Romford and Hornchurch, now sell single tickets for a one week entry for just £1.”