THIS week’s winner of our Face in the Crowd competition nearly missed claiming his prize, thanks to a busy breakfast.

Keith Lurcook, 72, from Ringwood Road in Oxford, was at Saturday’s home defeat against Gillingham and was the lucky fan picked out of the Kassam Stadium crowd by our photographer.

We published Mr Lurcook’s picture in Monday’s Mail as our Face in the Crowd but, according to his wife Pat, they nearly didn’t see the paper.

She said: “We only found out when our son rang us up to say we should check the back of the Mail.

“So we did and there he was. It’s strange, because I usually read it cover-to-cover over breakfast, but hadn’t had time that morning.

“It’s a good job our son saw it, really.”

Mr Lurcook, a retired health and safety manager, had a major stroke three-and-a-half years ago and is confined to a wheelchair.

But he never misses a home game, thanks to son Danny and some free tickets from the club.

Mrs Lurcook said: “Keith used to be very active up until the stroke. He loved golf and all things like that.

“But Danny, who is a life-long Oxford supporter, now takes him to every home game and he really enjoys it.”

Mr Lurcook said he would be spending the winnings on Christmas presents.

We are giving away £75 to our Face In The Crowd winner from every one of United’s League Two home matches this season, provided they claim the prize at our offices in Osney Mead within two days of publication.