2:56pm Friday 6th July 2007
By Telegraph newsdesk
MONTY the puppy is in the dog house - after eating his owner's £2,000 lottery win for lunch!
When the £2,000 cheque fell through Tony Crawford's letterbox his wife Janis put it on the kitchen table for safe keeping.
But the 20-week-old golden retriever spotted the prize - and promptly gobbled it up, throwing the family into panic.
Mr Crawford, 48, of Eskdale Close, Reedley, has had a season ticket at Turf Moor for 15 years and supported Burnley FC for 40.
He won the money in the Burnley Football Club weekly draw that he has played for over five years.
He said "I couldn't believe it when I heard what happened.
"My wife rang as I was leaving work and said I've got good news and bad news. The good news is we've won £2,000. The bad news is the dog has eaten it."
Mr Crawford, who works at Sally's Hair and Beauty in Blackburn, was planning to spend the money on giving his kitchen a make-over and throwing a silver wedding anniversary for him and his wife Janis, 49, at Nelson Cricket Club in September.
Thankfully, as soon as Burnley FC Lottery staff heard the news, they sprung into action with a replacement cheque for Mr Crawford, who is now being extremely careful about what is left on the kitchen table.
He said: "Monty will eat whatever he can get his paws on, he's growing week on week and can reach all sorts of places now.
"This is the only lottery I play and I've won a few tenners in the past, but I've probably put a lot more money into the club than I've won. I wouldn't consider myself a lucky person."
Each week more than £3,000 in prize money is won in an annual prize fund of over £150,000. The money raised helps to support youth development and stadium development at the club.
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