HOW do you pick your Grand National selection? By studying form? Or by the horse s name or jockey s colours? Or maybe with a pin? Well one bookmakers felt the full force of a whole street when the name of a local road led to punters pocketing a cash bonan

HOW do you pick your Grand National selection?

By studying form? Or by the horse's name or jockey's colours? Or maybe with a pin?

Well one bookmakers felt the full force of a whole street when the name of a local road led to punters pocketing a cash bonanza on Saturday's race.

When residents in and around Silverbirch Avenue saw a runner at the Aintree classic was named Silver Birch they took it as an omen and went dashing off to Ladbrokes in the High Street to place their bets.

After Silver Birch crossed the finishing line at 33-1 there was soon a queue at the betting office and at the end of the day the tills were empty.

"The locals wiped us out," said shop manager Larissa Baker.

"Having a Silverbirch street in the town meant a lot of people backed the horse and of course it won at very good odds. The world and his wife wanted to back the horse and at the end of the day it cost us £12,000.

"One punter won £800 and I even won £43.25 for a £1 each way bet. It was a bad day for us. Hopefully, next year none of the runners will have a name like a local street to get punters dashing down here again."

One lucky punter was 66-year-old Jack Eversden who has lived in Silverbirch Avenue since the houses were built 44-years-ago.

He picked up a handy £86 and said it will go towards his council tax and car tax.

"I backed it because of the name of our road and got quite excited watching it win on TV," said Mr Eversden.

"I also backed it last year but it fell then!

"I know quite a few local people who backed the horse and I am glad to hear the bookies lost their money to local people who had a bet because of the street name.