Eaten scratchcard helps sick children

A CHARITY which makes dreams come true for sick children is to benefit from a disgruntled airline passenger who ate a winning scratchcard ticket on a plane bound for East Midlands Airport.

Last month, Ryanair reported that a passenger won the prize while travelling on a flight from Poland to East Midlands Airport.

But he became so angry he could not be given the cash mid-flight that he swallowed the Fly to Win ticket, which was worth 10,000 euros (£9,059).

The airline and the scratchcard company Brand Force agreed to donate the cash to charity, with passengers voting on where it should go.

The money will now go to When You Wish Upon A Star, a charity which pays for seriously-ill children to go on dream holidays.

The charity's Hayley Davies, from Derby, said: "This donation will help make the dreams of so many ill children become a reality."

Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said: "Over 40,000 Ryanair passengers took part in our online poll to decide which type of charity should receive the winnings and over 50% thought that a children's charity should benefit."