Another kind of "Bond": Ian Fleming's novel Goldfinger was published in 1959

The �1m prize, introduced in 1994, has also never before been won by a bond held as part of such a small holding.

The winner, an unnamed female pensioner from Newham in London, had a 1.4 billion chance of winning on her stake.

"At the moment I have no idea what I'm going to do with my win," she told a National Savings official. "I expect I'll go on a nice holiday."

The previous record for the oldest bond to win the jackpot was bought in Camden in 1977 and won in April 1995.

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The next smallest total holding to win the jackpot was �476. A �20 bond from this holding, purchased in Essex, won the �1m top prize in March 1995.

Sales of premium bonds have boomed in recent years, as people have sought a safe haven from stock market turbulence.

Over the past five years the amount invested in bonds has doubled to more than �24bn.

The Treasury-backed National Savings & Investments, which runs the savings scheme, is improving the odds of winning.

Later in 2004, the chances of winning will increase to 24,000 to one - and the number of monthly premium bond prizes will increase from 870,000 to more than 1 million.