A twelve-member syndicate group from the Bausch and Lomb company in Waterford have collected their Lotto jackpot of €2,578,134.

Their lucky ticket was an €8 normal play ticket, purchased on March 12th in the Spar store in Ferrybank, Waterford for the draw on the same day.

Bausch and Lomb have been operating in Waterford since 1981 making contact lenses - most of the winners work in production there.

The syndicate group, calling themselves 'The RPIII Heads' has played together for almost 16 years, and has always used the same numbers.

A while ago, the group won €1,300 between them on a five number prize. Group members will share the jackpot equally between all twelve.

Group organiser, Alan Smith, checked the ticket numbers: "I scanned the ticket, as I do every week, and a message flashed up 'Congratulations - please contact us!'. I was delighted but didn't expect that we'd won the whole Lotto jackpot", he smiled.

"I checked it a couple of times but refused to believe it. I rang the wife who had been up at a hurling match and I asked 'where are ya, get home fast, we're after winning the Lotto!'. Then I started ringing the other lads in the group".

Group members range in age from 37 to 50 and have 16 children in total, with another on the way shortly.

Plans for the win include paying off mortgages, putting aside funds for college, going on holiday, revamping the house and changing the car.