We put a lotto ticket in washing machine to see if it would still win

It's a little piece of paper that means never having to worry about money again.

And you've put it through the wash.

That's the nightmare scenario a woman from Worcester claims she's facing.

She says she accidentally left her winning lotto ticket in a pair of dirty jeans.

Of the hundreds of people who have come forward to claim the £33m jackpot, it's her story that's gripped the nation.

The newsagent who believes he sold her the winning ticket, Natu Patel, has been interviewed, telling reporters that she came in "nervous and frightened".

According to him the corners of the ticket were there - the numbers were readable and the 2016 date was on it, but the barcode and exact date had faded.

Camelot has not confirmed that newsagent sold the ticket but said the winning ticket WAS bought in Worcester.

Whilst Camelot investigates her claim, Newsbeat put a ticket's durability to the test…

One lottery ticket, one pair of (dirty) jeans

This is a ticket from last Saturday. Sadly no money was won. But luckily its bittersweet reminder remains to take part in this highly unscientific test.

Other jean brands are available

Off it goes on its little adventure, nestling in the back pocket.

A very expensive wash

*loud organ chords, crashing horror music*

And that's not just because washing a pair of jeans on its own is wasteful.

The cycle

The ticket was put on a 40C eco-wash. Neither hot nor cold and less than an hour long, for those of you not into using all the dials and options on the washing machine.

The aftermath...

Where's the ticket? Certainly not in the pocket.

Not in the washing machine either...

Empty drum.

Yup, the ticket completely disintegrated.

And Newsbeat sources (another journalist in the office who washed a lottery ticket) suggest that this is not the only time a washing machine has destroyed a lottery ticket.

So where does this leave the lady in Worcester?

Camelot says winners have 30 days to submit a claim in writing, then if the player could provide sufficient evidence, Camelot would investigate and determine "at its discretion whether the claim is valid, and is able to pay the prize 180 days after the draw".

The rest of the money went to a couple from Hawick who claimed their prize within days of the 9 January draw.

Even though the prize total was shared, the sum is still the biggest win since the National Lottery was launched in November 1994.

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