A COUPLE endured a ­rollercoaster of emotions when a lottery ticket worth £27 million went missing - only to be found and returned by someone at their church.

Hakeem Nosiru won Canada's January 17 Lotto Max draw and was one day away from claiming the money when the signed ticket, which he taped to the inside of his wife's handbag for safekeeping, went missing after they attended church.

That sparked a frantic search of their home that left Mr Nosiru and his wife, who are originally from Nigeria, empty handed. But their despair turned to joy after a fellow member of the congregation discovered the ticket and reunited it with the couple. Mr Nosiru had signed the ticket with their address.

Mr Nosiru then had to give the ticket to Ontario Provincial Police, which was investigating its disappearance, but everything checked out and they now plan to travel the world.