A female lotto receiver suffered severe shock and needed hospitalisation following a hold-up at her lotto office in St Joseph High Street, Hamrun yesterday afternoon.

The thief must have been attracted by the prospects of a large booty, bearing in mind that yesterday's Super 5 prize fund amounted to Lm200,000, meaning that a lot more tickets than usual would have been sold.

Police sources said a man and a woman are being held for questioning in connection with the hold-up. The police said the amount stolen was in the region of Lm600 and that they were informed about the hold-up at about 1 p.m.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the hold-up was carried out by a lone hooded thief who was carrying a firearm.

The thief approached the receiver, a 49-year-old woman from Sliema, and forced her to hand over the money. He then ran out. No one else was inside the lotto office at the time of the hold-up. The woman, who was suffering from shock, was taken to hospital where she was kept for further treatment.

Magistrate Anthony Vella apppointed a team of court experts to help in an inquiry.

Police investigations continue.