A LUCKY punter in Bolton scooped £12,000 on a bet for a horse that didn’t even run.

Frank Nuttall, aged 62, staked just £6 on a ‘Lucky 15’ bet at Betfred.

From a total stake of £6, Frank relied on 15 different bets for his four chosen horses to win.

Thursday’s opening race at Yarmouth was declared as won by his 50-1 outsider, three-year-old Mandarin Princess.

However, it was revealed two hours later that the horse's trainer had sent the wrong one of his two runners to the starting post. The winner was in fact three-year-old Millie’s Kiss – a horse with significantly more racing experience.

Betfred then had the decision on whether to pay out on the second-placed horse instead – a well-backed favourite. But to the delight of Frank, Betfred boss, Fred Done decided to pay out on both horses.

In total, the retired engineer beat combined odds of 10,500/1.

Frank said: “I was going through all kinds of emotions. I knew I had won, but then there was all these questions being asked.

“I cannot believe what has happened. It was quite a day.

“I’m going to go and sort out a cruise for me and my wife Lesley to somewhere warm. She’s not one for jewellery but I know she’ll be wanting our hall decorating.”

The grandfather, who lives in Mars Avenue, Morris Green, has been a customer of over 40 years at his local betting shop in St Helens Road.

Betfred boss, Fred Done said: “There is no way one of our long serving, loyal customers like Frank was going to miss out.

“He makes history in that he’s very possibly the first of our punters to have won big on a horse that didn’t even make the starting stalls!”

Stewards have referred the matter to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).