PUNTERS broke the bookmakers’ bank in Ross-on-Wye after chancing on the county’s long shot.

Both Ladbrokes and William Hill were cleaned out following Mon Mome’s historic victory at odds of 100-1.

William Hill posted losses of £20,000 while both betting shops in the town had to go to the bank on Monday morning to withdraw cash for the lucky winners.

Paul Haslam, manager, said: “It was chaos in here, people were cheering and shouting.”

With half of all Grand National bets in the shop backing local entries – almost 700 in total – people watched in disbelief as Mon Mome, trained just miles away at Aramstone, pushed ahead at the last minute.

The scene was similar at the town’s branch of Ladbrokes.

James Yorke, deputy manager, said: “It was the busiest day we have ever had in here.

“There was not enough money here on the day so we had to get some in and people have been coming in ever since.”

Ross resident Derek Davies and friend Keith Brooke, who named the winner and runner-up, were among those who collected their winnings from Ladbrokes in the town on Monday.

Mr Davies, who enjoyed a celebratory pint after collecting £700, said he’d been watching Mon Mome all season and chose it because it was local.

And there was joy over in Hereford, where Cathedral Junior School pupil George Tarplee picked the winner. The six-year-old did not go on Mon Mome’s county links however, but instead backed the horse because he liked the long odds and the amount he could win.

Martin Bellamy, who works in the office at the yard of Venetia Williams, confirmed the winning trainer was one of the few who failed to cash in on Mon Mome’s win.

“She never bets,” he said. “Sadly, I didn’t put a bet on Mon Mome either.

“I backed four other horses but now I wished I had put a few pounds on him.”