THE heir of a famous Colchester delicatessen is £30,000 richer thanks to the People’s Postcode Lottery.

Film cameras surprised Philip Gunton, 49, while he was working at H Gunton grocers in Crouch Street, Colchester, with a cheque for the enviable amount.

Mr Gunton, of Halstead Road, Colchester, is one of three lucky neighbours to become winners from the CO3 9AF postcode.

He had no idea how much he had won and when pressed for a desirable figure from Jeff Brazier, the People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador, he replied: “Anything at all.”

The Colchester celebrity built up the tension in classic TV style leading to a tense moment before he revealed the £30,000 cheque in front of Gunton staff.

Mr Gunton said the win left him feeling, “elated, happy and richer”.

The postcode lottery works, as the name suggests, on the basis of a postcode.

People pay an amount each months and, if their postcode is drawn, all those who play on that street win.

The father-of-two added: “I didn’t want to count my chickens but to win so much money is brilliant - that will do me.

“I started playing the postcode lottery a couple of years ago and had won a few tenners, but nothing on this scale so I’m quite happy.

“My daughters are five and ten so I think a trip to Disneyland will be on the cards as a special treat. They’re the perfect age for it at the moment.

“After that I’ll need to have a think – it will probably go on something sensible.”

The other two residents on the street had missed a visit from Jeff but will receive their cheque in the post.

Their identities have not been revealed but they are going to have a lovely surprise when they open their mail.

Mr Brazier achieved TV stardom after appearing in Channel 4 reality show Shipwrecked.

He returned to his home town to present the winnings.

He said: “I’m thrilled for our Colchester players on their win. It was great to meet Philip and his team at the shop.

“I think they were all as excited as he was.”

Lottery plays have raised more than £197million to-date on over 2,800 good causes in the UK and abroad.

At least 30 per cent of ticket sales go directly to charities.

Those to benefit in the past include Colchester’s Mercury Theatre which was awarded £13,470 last year to create theatre groups for young people.