Bingo caller Mark Lunn of the Mecca Club in Wednesbury may have been Top of the Shop with bookies but he missed out on a national title at a competition in London.

The 30-year-old scooped the Midlands title earlier this year and was joint second favourite to win the National Bingo Game caller of the year at 7/2 according to bookmakers William Hill.  

However, he lost out to Blake Robson from the Mecca Bingo Club in South Shields in the final held yesterday.

Mark, who lives on the Yew Tree estate on the Sandwell/Walsall border, said: “It was a tough competition – I had to entertain the judging panel and I performed a magic trick.

“There was also an interview with last year’s winner and the head of PR. Then I had to do a typical bingo calling session.”