THE Teignmouth man who won fame and fortune at the bookies is adamant he will not be giving up his job.

Tony Wonnacott, 45, of Heywoods Road, scooped £310,000 with an accumulator on the horses at the weekend, and made headlines all over the UK and further afield.

Many punters might be thinking of taking it a bit easier, but not Tony.

He loves his work as regional director of Wedge Group Galvanizing in Crediton, and declared: 'I have been with them for 25 years and they have always treated me really well. I really enjoy it and have no intention of giving up or cutting back.'

Tony was bemused by the media attention he received.

'I didn't expect so much interest. I've had my 15 minutes of fame. Now I just want to slip into the background again and just be a family man. We will pay off the mortgage, and I told the wife we will not have to worry about the gas bill again.'

One of the few luxuries he might treat himself to is a racehorse, along with a group of friends.

He placed a £2 Scoop 6 bet at Ladbrokes on six horses at Sandown and Ripon, before heading off to watch Exeter City on Saturday afternoon.

He was blissfully unaware that his horses came up trumps, until he called back into the betting shop to check the results after the match.

'I went absolutely mental when Ladbrokes told me how much I'd won. I've been backing horses for 30 years with Ladbrokes and have never won more than a couple of hundred quid before.

'I phoned my wife straight away and told her I've now just about covered my losses since the late 70s! I reckon I'm just about even with the bookies now,' quipped Tony, who likes a daily bet and estimates he spends about £40 to £50 a week at the bookies.

He could more than double his money if he picks a single winner tomorrow on the Tote Scoop 6 bonus. It would bring him an extra £399,000.

And that would make him Britain's biggest ever winner for just a £2 stake.

David Williams, from Ladbrokes, added: 'Tony is living proof that if at first you don't succeed – it pays to keep trying for 30 years!

'Alistair Darling could do a lot worse than follow his tips. We'll have our fingers crossed that he bags the bonus on Saturday.'