Celebrations after 'spooky' horse racing tip

People have been celebrating after winning a horse racing bet based on a tip unearthed in a time capsule from 1964.

The capsule was discovered underneath a statue in Crystal Palace Park, south London, and included a handwritten letter and four old English coins.

The note said the money had been the winnings from a bet on a horse named Santa Claus in the Epsom Derby, and that its finder should use it to bet on a horse with a name that could be "associated with 'Santa Claus'".

Many people followed the tip to bet on Christmas Day, who charged to victory at the Betfred Derby Day at Epsom Downs on Saturday.

Among them was Martin Tempia, co-chair of Crystal Palace Park Trust, who went to a local pub on Saturday night after collecting his winnings.

"I've never seen so many cheerful people. It looked as though everyone in SE19 had put some money on Christmas Day," he said.

Josh Smalls, a construction site manager, had placed a bet too and said he had to pinch himself when Christmas Day won the race.

"It was surreal. It was just unbelievable. I was just jumping and screaming. I'm not the most superstitious person but everything was written in the stars," he said.

Dozens of people posted on social media about having won money from placing a bet on Christmas Day after reading about the time capsule discovery.

One user boasted: "Nearly £400 richer in my family."

Bromley Mayor Christine Harris said her winnings would go to her chosen local charities.

She posted on X: "Delighted Christmas Day has won the Derby, with mayoral charities benefitting.

"Thanks to the 1964 time capsule tip found when the Paxton Bust was relocated in Crystal Palace Park.[...] Amazing."

Many BBC Radio London listeners also got in touch to share their betting success.

After Christmas Day - trained by Aidan O'Brien and jockeyed by Ronan Whelan - pulled away in the final stages of the race before storming home to win, the Crystal Palace Park Trust wrote on social media: "What just happened? The park's time capsule prophecy came true."

Smalls added: "It definitely was spooky. To find the time capsule, and then just the way everything was linking up - everything just fell into place. It was unbelievable."

The note was found in April by a Romanian construction worker whose name - Craciun - means 'Christmas' in English.

Marius Craciun Dorin described the coincidence as "crazy".

Tempia said the trust had been trying to track down descendants of the note's author, believed to be P Nugent Paterson, although some deciphered the signature as 'P Wright Paterson'.

Anyone with any information is asked to get in touch with the park trust.

Tempia added the trust was planning to bury its own time capsule.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk