A lottery prize worth £1 million and a luxury safari has been declared unclaimed after the winner failed to step forward within the 180 day timeslot.

The winning ticket, which was purchased in Harrow, would have yielded a life-changing sum of money and the holiday of a lifetime.

But Camelot UK Lotteries Limited, which operates the National Lottery, confirmed that the whopping EuroMillions prize was left uncollected.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at the National Lottery, said: “Unfortunately, I can confirm that the ticket-holder did not come forward within the deadline to claim their prize and has now sadly missed out on this amazing prize.

“To avoid this unfortunate situation happening again, I would urge all National Lottery players to check their tickets on a regular basis.”

One positive from the story is that the prize money will now be funnelled into National Lottery-funded projects across the country.

Harrow-based programmes which have benefited from this in the past are The Wish Centre in Peel Road, which supports teenagers who have suffered from self-harm and abuse, and the Harrow Citizens Advice Bureau.

“We tried very hard to find the ticket-holder and it’s a real shame that they have missed out, but there is still one winner – the nation,” Mr Carter added.  

“This money, and all the interest earned over the 180 days, will now go to benefit projects all over the UK funded by The National Lottery.”