Mrs. Jane Clark

Jane Clark picked 47 instead of 46 for the age of her husband Richard, as one of the six winning numbers in the weekend draw.

The couple from Dunstable, Bedfordshire, won £2,357,785 and were one of three ticketholders who shared the jackpot.

Mrs Clark, a new business analyst with BT, chose the winning numbers from the ages of her two sons James, 13, and Andrew 17, along with the length of her marriage to her husband - 22 years - her own age 41, her brother-in-law's age 43, as well as her husband's mistaken age.

She told a press conference at the Meridien Waldorf hotel in central London that her "jaw had dropped" when she saw the winning numbers appear on television.

"I'm finding it very difficult to believe.I don't think I'll ever regret making a mistake in Richard's age.I have known him for 28 years and I should know it by now.Fortunately I put the wrong number."

Mr Clark, an engineer with Alstom in Bedfordshire, bought the winning ticket in Edlesborough Post Office, after his wife jotted down the winning numbers for him.

He said the family were hoping to buy a new car with the winnings - a Lotus Elise - and build their own environmentally friendly new home to replace their three bedroom house.

He said: "I've forgiven Jane for thinking I'm a year older than I am.Our good fortune hasn't sunk in yet.We must have checked out numbers 10 times on Saturday and we are still in total disbelief."

Mrs Clark, who selected the winning numbers while travelling back from a business trip in Manchester, said she would also continue to work.