Couple criticised over consolation cash in raffle fail

“People wanted answers as to why the prize fund was so low”

A couple are facing criticism for handing out a “consolation” prize of £110,070 after a raffle to win their £3 million luxury home or an Aston Martin car failed to sell enough tickets.

Mark and Sharon Beresford had set up the competition with the luxury Huf Haus property in Avon Castle on the Hampshire/Dorset border as the top prize.

But the raffle only managed to sell 30,000 tickets at £25 each – short of the 170,000 required for the house and car to be triggered as prizes.

The rules stated that any replacement cash prize would amount to 75% of the value of the tickets sold after promotion costs.

The ticket sales would have amounted to about £750,000 while the prize handed out was £110,070 to a woman from Christchurch.

A statement posted on the win a mega home website states: “The draw was made by a random number selector computer at Sterling Lottery Management, which is approved and audited by both the Gambling Commission and PwC.

“It selected 100 tickets and local MP Christopher Chope drew the winner from that number. An independent solicitor – Josh Taylor from Wansbroughs in Devizes, Wiltshire – was present to oversee the procedure.”

James Hill, who bought eight tickets with three friends, told the BBC: “After the competition people clearly wanted answers as to why the prize fund was so low.”

In a further statement, Mr Beresford said: “We fully complied with all of the competition rules and relevant laws in order to launch the competition.”