UK ticket wins £84.4m

A UK ticketholder has come forward to claim the country's biggest ever lottery jackpot of £84.4 million.

The winner could receive the prize, from Friday's EuroMillions draw, today subject to validation, a spokesman for the National Lottery operator said.

No details have been released about the winner, who can decide whether or not to go public. It is not yet known if the ticket belongs to an individual or a syndicate.

The ticketholder has been catapulted into first place on the National Lottery Rich List, ahead of Nigel Page and Justine Laycock, who won a 56m EuroMillions jackpot in February.

Friday's 84.4m prize means the winner would immediately become the 789th richest person in the country, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2010, ahead of the likes of Sir Sean Connery, rock legend Jimmy Page and comedian Rowan Atkinson.