IT'S been ten years since the balls first dropped - and helped lucky people across Hampshire hit the jackpot.

As a range of tenth birthday celebrations are lined up this weekend, the largest ever winner of the National Lottery has been revealed - the county itself.

Hampshire is the biggest jackpot-holder from the lottery, being handed a whopping £106m for nearly 2,000 good causes.

Southampton and surrounding areas alone have been awarded £41m.

But while the grants have supported the efforts of Olympians - cash helped pay for diving facilities at The Quays, Pete Waterfield's training pool - the pay-outs have also sparked controversy.

A massive £4.5m, including £3.5m of lottery cash, was pumped into the overhaul of Southampton's parks in 1997 for a four-year programme.

Projects like The Queen's Peace Fountain and general renovation projects received universal acclaim, but others made more of a splash.

About £70,000 was spent on the artwork, Enclosure, in Watts Park.

The four-sided, four metre-high sculpture came under fire from critics who branded it a waste of money.

Among its biggest critics was Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service, which had three previous cash requests turned down to extend its Gosport boathouse.

But for the city's Olympic silver medallist Pete Waterfield, the lottery has proved to be pure gold.

Every one of Team GB that competed in Athens in the summer had received support in one way or another from lottery funding

Pete earned Britain's first medal of the Athens games with partner Leon Taylor in the men's 10m synchronised diving.

A reception was held for Pete at the Quays after he toured the city in an open-top bus when his efforts secured the UK's first diving medal for 44 years.

The complex was given a £66,500 Sport England grant from the National Lottery as a contribution towards the provision of extending diving platforms and other facilities.

Pete said: "Before The Quays, I used to have to train at Crystal Palace. Because my coach worked during the day, I couldn't train full-time. I could only do it at night.

"Then The Quays was built and my coach got a job there.

"It gave me the opportunity to train full- time, which I had to do. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to compete against the rest of the world."

Southampton council leader Councillor Adrian Vinson said the lottery had been a windfall for heritage, sports and leisure schemes in the city.

One of the lottery funds most significant projects has been to secure the future of one of Southampton's best-known and most historically important landmarks.

Tudor House had been on an "at risk" heritage register and closed in April 2002 while the council prepared a bid for the Heritage Lottery Fund. Fears had been expressed that the historic building would be closed permanently.

Now a refurbishment of the museum is well under way thanks to a £1.6m grant.

This weekend, it opened it doors to give visitors the chance to look at the renovation plans ahead of its official reopening in May 2006.

Councillor Vinson said: "Southampton has had a number of successful applications to the lottery fund, which we have made use of for things like the parks project and Tudor House.

"The city has benefited to a considerable extent."

Not all the grants have been for hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Northam Tenants' and Residents' Association was handed cash for its "Grey-Net" scheme to buy a computer, equipped with Internet access, to be used by older people on the estate.

Association secretary Dawn Humphries said: "They can come in and see if they want to buy things from the Internet or just use it generally.

"It has proved to be quite popular. The lottery has definitely helped groups like us to help with schemes."

For most, however, the big draw remains the same ten years on - the chance to win a fortune.

In October, 2001, publicans Bill and Jean Galbraith were toasting their success after winning £540,000 on a midweek draw.

Bill and Jean, who ran the Bridge Tavern at Holbury in the New Forest, matched five numbers plus the bonus ball.

It was a timely win for the couple, who were planning to retire after 28 years in the pub trade.

But they only realised they had won the fortune after returning from a holiday in Bournemouth the following weekend.

Jean, 69, from Blackfield, said: I didn't actually check the ticket till the Saturday, when I switched on the TV and put teletext on.

"I couldn't quite believe it. I kept checking and re-checking and then it began to sink in.

"One of the first things we did was treat all the family. It was just as they were taking bookings for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in London.

"We hired four minibuses, and took all the children and grandchildren to it.

"The money meant we could also afford to pay our mortgage off.

"Probably the most extravagant thing we've been able to do is go on cruises, which was always something we were keen to do.

"It's certainly made life a lot easier for us."

COMMUNITY groups throughout Hampshire will benefit from a share of the latest Lottery Awards for All scheme.

Among the projects awarded grants was Thornhill Youth Centre.

The group received almost £5,000, which will help provide weekly activities sessions including arts and crafts, music, pool, snooker, football and basketball.

The sessions, which will be run by youth leaders, focus on raising self-esteem and confidence and tackling anti-social behaviour.

Amy Parsons, community development worker at the centre in Bitterne Road East, Thornhill, said: "It is absolutely brilliant that we have been given this money. It will be a great help to the youth centre."

Several new clubs in Hampshire have also been given a welcome cash boost in the latest round of lottery awards.

A grant of £5,000 will cover the start-up costs of the Hilcrest Football Club, which will give boys and girls from the Southampton and Chandler's Ford areas the opportunity to train and play in competitive football.

Kings Table Tennis Club in Winchester will be able to purchase basic equipment and pay for start-up costs with a grant of £4,700.

Lottery Awards for All grants ranging from £500 to £5,000 are made throughout the year.

Groups with good ideas are encouraged to visit the scheme website, www. awardsforall.org.uk, to see if they might qualify for funding.

To obtain an application pack call 0845 600 2040.

Other grants made in Hampshire include:

Technical Rescue Unit - group which provides specialist operational support to the fire, ambulance and police services, £5,000

Hampshire Post-16 Special Needs Rugby Program, £4,950

Eastleigh and District Junior Athletic Club, £4,395

Jump to the Top - a group which promotes the sport of trampolining - £5,000