IT was a special moment of celebration as the first lucky winners of our new Bingo game came together at our office in Oxford this week.

To celebrate the launch of the new-look bigger, brighter, better Oxford Mail we are giving away £1,000 a week during July with the game.

And in the first week we had six winners, meaning the prize was shared equally between Ann Croad from Headington, Sharon Kilgariff, of Cowley, Sue Dunn from Abingdon, Mick Beesley of Barton, Bob Cherrill from Benson and Horspath resident John West.

We invited them in for tea and cake this week and Mr Beesley, 61, of Bayswater Road, Barton, said: “The competition is a bit of fun and it was quite unexpected to win.”

Ms Croad, 75, of Marsh Lane, said: “This is the first time I have done anything like this and it’s nice to have won. I have been an Oxford Mail reader since 1972.”

The first game of Right Up Your Street started on Monday, July 1, and ran until the following Saturday.

Three more games are taking place this month, so the chance to win a cash prize is still up for grabs.

The rules are simple. Every day, different road names in Oxfordshire are published. Contestants match the road names on their bingo card given out with the Oxford Mail on Monday, July 1, with those printed and if they can claim a full house of 10 road names, it’s bingo time.

Ms Kilgariff, of Clive Road, said: “It’s brilliant, especially as it’s the first time I have done a competition in the Oxford Mail and I’ve been reading the paper since 1972.”

Ms Dunn, of Dry Sandford, Abingdon, said: “I’m really pleased to have won. I have been an Oxford Mail reader for a long time and get the paper delivered every day.”

Mr West, 86, of Blenheim Way, said: “I have been based in Oxford for most of my life and have read the Oxford Mail for most of that time too, so it’s nice to have won something.”

Mr Cherrill, 77, of Benson, who has three children, ten grandchildren and two great grand children, said: “I have been looking forward to this.”

So we wish you luck over the next three games but we also have a bonus in case you’re not lucky enough to get all 10 roads.

At the end of the competition we will be asking for everyone to return their game card and to enter the draw for a bonus prize of £1,000.