A lucky mum has won a £1,000 spree at a Chelmsford shopping centre.

Kate Ratnage, who lives near Admirals Park, said she was trying to decide between a holiday, a laptop or stocking up on essentials for her sons - Seb, 2, and two-month-old Theo - after finding the Golden Ticket in a competition run by The Meadows.

Mrs Ratnage scooped the jackpot after “wandering around The Meadows in a sleep-deprived haze” with Theo.

She said: “I have a two-year-old and a baby and after a particularly sleepless night I decided to pop into The Meadows to collect my prescription from the opticians and get a few bits from the shops.

“I thought I may as well have a go before the competition finished, but I never thought I would win. I literally couldn’t believe it when I pulled out the Golden Ticket. I was shaking! I am so excited!

"I am still what to spend it on as it is all such a shock - it's a choice between stocking up on essentials for the kids, a new laptop or a holiday, I think. I suspect the holiday may win!"

Centre manager Sue Patel said she was pleased the top prize went to a Chelmsford local.

She said: “We are thrilled to have found our winner and are so pleased it is someone who shops in The Meadows and the city centre on a regular basis.”

The competition, which was launched at the start of August and closes on Thursday, September 15, gave shoppers who spent more than £20 the chance to win the Golden Ticket. Smaller prizes of chocolate and cinema tickets are still up for grabs.