Capital's band of lucky 'compers' scoop holidays and cars

MOST people go through their whole lives without winning a single thing.

But even going a whole week without winning a competition would be a rarity for one lucky band of Edinburgh friends who are part of a club most people would love to be a member of.

Between them, the ten members of the Edinburgh Competition Club have scooped up seven cars, five TVs, ten bikes and two kitchens.

They have also won trips to exotic locations including the Bahamas, Miami, Las Vegas and Australia.

Each month, the members enter between 30 and 100 competitions and meet to discuss their winnings and share tips and ideas.

Frances Bethune, founder of the club, said some members win up to seven prizes a month.

Over the years, she has won a kitchen, two trips to Australia and a trip to Disney World, as well as 1000 bottles of mineral water.

Ms Bethune, 56, who lives in Marchmont, said: "I set up the club because there was a crowd of us who were winning things and meeting at people's houses so I decided to try and get a bigger group together. I only enter 30 or 40 a month but we have one member who does about 300 and this week has won four prizes.

"People think they are never going to win but if they actually enter, they'd be surprised because sometimes there are competitions that not many people enter.

"Quite a lot of our competitions are slogans so there's a skill to them.

"Going along to meet everyone each month inspires you - you hear what they've won and you want to win more too."

Despite having already won big, Ms Bethune, a physiotherapist, has still not achieved her ultimate goal.

She said: "The ultimate is to win a car. In our group, seven have been won, but unfortunately not by me. I am trying though.

Fellow "comper" David Hughes has been lucky enough to win a car - though he made sure that his chances were high by entering 800 times at a cost of 200 in postage.

His persistence paid off and he ended up selling the car for 11,500.

Mr Hughes, 74, said: "I'm a pensioner so money is tight but I made a big decision to send 1000 entries even though it was going to cost me a lot of money in postage. It was a very tiring job and I spent two hours a day sending off 50 postcards and it was incredibly boring, but it paid off.

"I got as far as 800 and I won."

Mr Hughes also won a "luxury" pink mobile phone worth 3250, which he sold on eBay.

The Edinburgh Competition Club, which currently has ten members, meets once a month in the Bruntsfield Hotel.

Mr Hughes, who comes all the way from Berwick to attend, added: "It's lovely to get together and have a chin wag.

"It's amazing how fellow compers help you out, there's a wonderful camaraderie amongst competitors."

Items won by members of the Edinburgh Competition Club include:

7 cars

2 kitchens

1 bathroom

2 kingsize beds

5 TVs

Holidays to Australia, Miami, Florida New York, Las Vegas, Spain and the Bahamas.

VIP tickets to games at Murrayfield, Old Trafford and Ibrox

10 bikes

1 cooker

1 dishwasher

2 washing machines

1000 Debenhams vouchers

4 x 1000 Marks and Spencer vouchers

A year's supply of nappies, Weight Watchers food, beer, and fine wine

Helicopter flights

Orient Express trip

A weekend at the Dorchester Hotel plus 1000 to spend in Harrods

11 iPods

3 laptops

4 Wii consoles