A PLUCKY bookie overcame the odds to continue trading after a power cut threatened to ruin his busiest day of the year.

The lights went out at 8.30am on Saturday at Clayton Racing, Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, but owner Alex Bolton, 53, was not willing to let Grand National day get away.

Running cables from the next-door sandwich shop, he continued trading, with a single TV, manual bet stamping and Teletext to give him the latest odds.

Customers continued placing their bets and the power came back on just five minutes before the race started.

Mr Bolton said: “It’s the biggest day of the year but when I called the power company they said it wouldn’t be back on till at least 3pm.

"I had to do something so that we could still trade. I’ve been at this shop 22 years, and I couldn’t have it closed on Grand National day.

"I had a cable running from next door into mine, and through that we managed to get the phones working.

"We usually have 18 text screens."

The Grand National was won, after two false starts, by 100-1 outsider Mon Mome, ridden by first-time National jockey Liam Treadwell.