THEY say lightning doesn't strike twice - but a North-East town has just become the luckiest place in Britain, after two people hit the National Lottery jackpot within days of each other.

Digger driver Barry Moss, from Darlington, scooped £7.5m on Saturday, making it the biggest jackpot ever won on the Lottery in the North-East.

His windfall came only a week after another lucky punter from the same town won £3.6m.

Remarkably, Barry's long-time partner, Pat Herriott, who is sharing his good fortune, knows the other local jackpot winner, Anita Wynne.

The millionaire families live a mile from each other in Darlington, where the total population is 100,000.

Barry, 57, was enjoying a barbecue in the back garden of his semi-detached house on Saturday when the Lottery draw came on TV.

His step-grandson Lee had just commented that the numbers on the lucky dip ticket - bought from Safeway in Victoria Road, Darlington - were not good ones.

But then he noticed the first three numbers, 24, 34, and 37 had come up, and Barry was pleased to win £10.

However, he was stunned when numbers 38, 41, and 49, came up and they realised they had all six numbers.

They all started screaming and shouting and Pat, 52, his partner of 20 years, began phoning family and friends to break the good news.

The family celebrated until 4am on Sunday morning and later Barry phoned his bosses at Sillars engineering in Hartlepool to tell them he was resigning after 12 years.

The party started again with a Sunday lunch for 12 friends and family.

Barry, who spends £10 every Saturday on the Lottery, said yesterday: "It's absolutely amazing. Pat actually knows the woman who won £3.6m in the town last week because she recognised her on the TV and in the newspapers.

"Darlington isn't a big place and when you hear of a big win like that you never think lightning could strike twice in the same place.

"When the numbers came up on the telly I was stunned. I've only ever won the odd £10 before. I just can't think about spending £7.5m - it's amazing.

"I phoned work on Sunday and told the boss I wouldn't be in again and he asked me if I had a new job. I laughed and just said I've won the Lottery.

"Everyone is over the moon for us and it means we can see the family are all right for the future."

Barry, who has four step-children, eight step-grandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren, added: "Pat has asked me to marry her and it's a possibility. We've been together over 20 years so we might do it."

The couple are also looking to buy a plush new house with a swimming pool in Darlington and Barry is swapping his £5,000 M-reg Mondeo for a top-of-the-range Mercedes or BMW.

Barry is a Newcastle United fan and may also treat himself to a season ticket.

His win takes the total number of jackpot winners in Darlington to three. Anita Wynne scooped £3,644,131 last week and in August 1996, care assistant Sue Hellewell won a £2.4m share of a £9m jackpot.