SHE may have only been playing the Daily Echo’s Find the Ball competition for a matter of months, but beginner’s luck has shone on Julie Young who is today celebrating scooping the jackpot.

The mum of two is waking up £21,000 richer after winning the top cash prize.

Julie only took up playing the competition at the start of the year and already had two £15 wins to her name before getting the news she had won the big one.

The pre-school supervisor had to sit down in shock when she was told the news.

Mrs Young, 55, said: “That is just fantastic. I haven’t been playing that long, just the start of the year really. I have had a couple of small wins so I thought this week I would spend an extra pound on more crosses, and it paid off. I can’t believe it.”

An avid competition player, Julie, from Hythe, said she had no idea how she would spend her jackpot winnings as she was still reeling from the news of the win.

“Maybe a nice holiday. I will certainly give some to my girls to help them out a bit but I really don’t know about the rest, I am taking it all in,” she said.

Married to husband Peter for 34 years, Julie has two daughters aged 24 and 21. She added that the first on her list of things to do would be a celebratory meal with her family.

“I just can’t believe it!,” she said.

“ I think a meal out would be nice and maybe some bubbly – why not!”

Find the Ball appears in four Newsquest titles each week. Last year more than £205,100 was paid out in prize money.