YORK'S unluckiest sportsman Warren Mapplebeck finally got a lucky break when he appeared on TV's Richard and Judy show.

The 31-year-old Canon Lee School science teacher, who has suffered three serious injuries playing three different sports in just two years, scooped a holiday to gambling capital Las Vegas when he put his poor fortune to the test on the Channel 4 teatime programme last night.

He said: "It's just fantastic. I can't believe my luck has changed. I was completely flabbergasted to win. I'll definitely be having a go on the lottery at the weekend."

The husband and wife hosts pitted Warren, who lives off Carr Lane, Acomb, against lucky Elaine Thompson, who scooped £2.7 million on the Lottery and regularly comes up trumps on raffles in a programme about luck.

But Elaine's normal good fortune was mostly elsewhere as the pair went head to head rolling a dice, cutting cards and flipping a coin.

And when the contestants had to pick one of two boxes to decide the final outcome, Warren reached in to find a pair of tickets and hotel passes for a week in Las Vegas but Elaine - who admitted she wanted Warren to win - delved in to find a pile of fresh elephant dung.

He also got the chance to join "down to earth" Richard and Judy and other guests, including Royle Family star Ralf Little, for an after-show drink at the London studios.

Warren, who broke his lower leg debuting for local football team Osbaldwick FC, snapped his Achilles tendon playing badminton, and bust his upper arm debuting for Long Marston Cricket Club's first team, is set to take wife Ruth on his well-deserved break to the States during the school summer holidays.

He hopes his change of fortune bodes well for future sporting endeavours although he is currently still resting his broken arm.

Updated: 09:03 Friday, June 28, 2002