A GRANDFATHER celebrated his birthday in style as he won £500 in The Bolton News’ bingo competition at his first attempt.

Brian Derbyshire, who turned 72 this month, received the good news about his victory in week six of the competition.

Mr Derbyshire, a retired mechanical engineer, of Ribchester Grove, has two children and seven grandchildren. He said: “It was a very nice birthday present — definitely the best of the lot.

“I hadn’t ever entered a competition like this before, but somebody’s got to win it and this time it was me.

“Winning this has made me feel more optimistic.

“I’ve not told anybody about winning yet. I never count my chickens until they’re hatched.”

Mr Derbyshire is yet to decide what to do with the money, but has suggested he may use it to get up to speed with technology.

He said: “My son wants me to get a laptop, because he wants me to be more computer-friendly, so I might do that.”

A dedicated reader of The Bolton News — and a prolific letter writer — Mr Derbyshire has been buying the paper for the past 50 years.

Previous winners of the competition include Ann Davis, who had never been to bingo before because she was too nervous to shout “full house”.