A new online community lottery to benefit good causes will be launched by Stroud District Council next year.

Tickets for the Lucky Severn Community Lottery will cost £1 with 60p going towards local good causes, compared to just 28p in the pound for the National Lottery.

The draw will be weekly with a jackpot of £25,000 for a matching sequence of six numbers, other prizes being £2,000, £250, £25 or three free tickets.

There are two ways to take part in the Lucky Severn Community Lottery scheme. Stroud district good causes will be able to set up their own lottery page, and will receive 50p in every pound spent by players using this method. A further 10p in every pound will go into a general Stroud district good causes fund, with the remainder being put towards prizes, operating costs and VAT.

Players who do not wish to support a specific cause can still take part in the Lucky Severn Community Lottery, with 60p of their ticket price going into the general Stroud district good causes fund, which will be distributed by the council.

Stroud District Council leader, councillor Doina Cornell, said: "With our budgets under increasing pressure, and local good causes also needing a boost, the Lucky Severn Community Lottery provides a great opportunity to help local good causes to raise additional money. We are committed to continuing our support to local community groups but this will be a way of spreading the benefit to many more groups."

Around 80 councils across the country are now running local lotteries including Cheltenham, Gloucester and Forest of Dean councils.

A launch event for charities and good causes will take place at 1pm on Thursday, January 14. Registration is now open here: https://bit.ly/3nEnbQ9