FOUR Brynaman pals were each dealt an amazing hand at their local community club when they all had a full run of cards at odds of more than 61 billion to one.

Friends Ieuan Griffiths, Meirion Hopkins, Mike Horwood and Owen Williams were stunned by the feat, which is more unlikely than winning the lottery.

A full run-through is when a hand contains all numbers and picture cards in order, starting with an ace, through two to 10, and a jack, queen and king.

The gang were playing popular game Crash at Brynaman Industrial Club when the amazing event took place.

Mr Williams said: "We'd dealt the cards, and I looked at mine and said: 'Sorry boys, I've got a run through.'

"But then Meirion said he had, and Ieuan said the same, so we knew Mike had it as well.

"We were really stunned by it, and called people over to witness what had happened.

"Nobody could believe it."

Mr Williams, who said he had enjoyed playing cards all his life, said he had been stunned by the odds of the feat of them all getting 13 cards from ace through to king.

"Rhyd Lewis, of the Cardiff School of Mathematics, said the odds were one in 61,204,166,001. When you think the chances of winning the lottery are 16 million to one, then it's unbelievable," he said.

Mr Williams did, however, have one regret over the whole event.

"When I saw I had the run through, I thought I'd won £1.65. But there you go."

owen.lock@swwmedia.co.uk