The postcode lottery organisers have stopped giving away large numbers of bikes to lottery winners after complaints from cycle shop owners who said their trade was being hurt.

The lottery used to award 1,000 bikes to winners who lived in the same postcode area. But several cycle shop owners said this was wiping out their business – particularly if the prize fell in a small village.
In future, the lottery will spread the bicycle prize over a larger area, the organisers said.