Are you a secret Premium Bond winner?

NS&I is searching for the winners of more than 928,000 unclaimed prizes worth a total of more than £41million.

In Essex, there are more than 28,000 unclaimed prizes worth more than £1.2 million.

The highest prizes in Essex are: a woman who won £10,000 in December 2007, another who won £5,000 in October 2010, a man who won £5,000 in February 1996, a woman who won £5,000 in August 1994 and a woman who won £1,000 in February 1998.

The five oldest unclaimed prizes in Essex are all for £25 and date back to 1964 to 1967.

Jill Waters, of NS&I, said: “It is likely that the winners of the unclaimed prizes are unaware or have forgotten that they have Premium Bonds.

"Prizes often become unclaimed as a result of people moving house, or forgetting that Bonds have been bought for them as a child, or executors are unaware the Bonds are held when someone dies.

“By opting to manage your Premium Bonds online you could reduce the risk of missing out on prizes as they can be paid directly into your bank account.”

There is no time limit for claiming prizes.

Premium Bonds investors can check to see if they have won at nsandi.com, using the Premium Bonds prize checker.