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A Syrian refugee has scooped a million euros in the French lottery after buying a winning scratchcard in France, it has been revealed.

The man in his 30s fled his war-torn homeland in 2011 and settled in Paris where he found work as a labourer.

He bought the lucky scratchcard in the Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis last June, but details of the win were only released by the French lottery operator.

The unnamed winner told French daily Le Parisien he used the £760,000 windfall to buy an apartment and now plans to open a restaurant.

He also wants to bring the rest of his family from Syria to France.

The refugee is one of 215 people who won the one million euros scratchcard jackpot last year.

Last month, a Senegalese migrant saved from a sinking ship by the Spanish coastguard won £300,000 in Spain's Christmas lottery draw.