WHEN grandfather Barry Hill was greeted on his doorstep with a bottle of bubbly by the Daily Echo he had a strange sense of deja vu.

The 64-year-old retired fire-fighter of Bishop Close, Talbot Village, Poole, scooped the £42,000 jackpot prize in this week's Find the Ball competition.

But it was not the first time for lucky Barry who also scooped the £48,000 jackpot four years ago and the £1,600 runner-up prize last year.

Barry, who upgraded to his present home after winning the first jackpot prize, told us: "I don't know how I've done it".

Barry began entering competitions regularly following his retirement to keep his mind active.

So far Barry's big wins have enabled him and his wife Rosemary, 61, to enjoy trips to the Big Apple and Australia.

He said: "I've just got a thing about Find the Ball. I enjoy doing it. I just study the pictures and study how the crowd is looking.

"It takes a couple of hours before I actually get around to putting on the crosses.

"I don't do Find the Ball every week, perhaps once a month. I just hope for the best.

"I expect the money will go on a holiday and we will probably go out for a meal.

"It's a total surprise. You just don't think it will happen again."

When asked if he intends to keep entering Find the Ball, an enthusiastic Barry replied: "Oh yes. I'll have to do it again. I'm not giving up now."

l The jackpot prize for Saturday stands at £10,000.

The runner-up prize stands at £1,000.

Find the Ball appears in four Newsquest titles each week.

Last year more than £279,000 was paid out in prize money.

First published: October 15