FIVE taxi drivers were celebrating a fare result today after scooping a £1.8million Lotto jackpot.

Oswaldtwistle-born Steve Humber, 42, who owns Clayton and Whittle Taxis, Whittle-le-Woods, was the first to realise their numbers had come up on Saturday.

And today five drivers from the firm's day shift - each with a £372,000 boost in their bank balance - were opening the champagne to celebrate.

The syndicate had one of three winning tickets with the numbers 4, 17, 26, 28, 38, 46.

Steve, who is married to wife Lisa, 34, and was born in Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle, said: "It is absolutely unbelievable. We have been doing the lottery in this syndicate for around 12 months with 15 lines a week. The news is just starting to sink in."

Chris Brenneis, 49, packed in a job with White Arrow Parcel Delivery in the Roman Road Estate, Blackburn, two years ago, where he had worked for 12 months. He and wife Jeanette, 42, and his six children were today planning how to spend the money.

The family are now planning to buy a new car but he will carry on working as a taxi driver.

Joe Kenyon, 54, of Whittle-le-Woods, organised the syndicate, he said: "The whole company used to be in a syndicate but we had to drop down the size because it was getting too much trouble. If I was one of the night shifts who haven't won, I would just be happy for the others."

Joe is planning a holiday with wife Pat, 63, and stepson Mark, 32, for the coming weeks. "The first emotion you feel is one of pure elation then nerves come over you, after that you go down a bit and feel a bit flat.

"I don't think you are sure what's going on. It doesn't seem real. When I phoned my wife she simply didn't believe me. I am just not someone who spends, spends, spends."