National Savings and Investments released the figures

More than �1m in large prizes has gone to the town in the space of two years, according to National Savings and Investments (NS&I).

However, Scotland is also the location of the unluckiest town in the UK, with Kirkwall ranked 123rd in the country.

Premium Bonds were introduced in 1957, when the government tried to encourage ordinary wage earners to save by running a 'risk-free' lottery.

Investors buy bonds worth �1 from the Post Office or by post from NS&I.

Millionaire winner

Every month Ernie (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) - the computer which selects the winners - gives away around 600,000 prizes, including a �1m jackpot.

In the two years since January 2000, people in Dumfries have won large prizes totalling �1,110,000 - including a millionaire winner.

The town, with a population of 31,600, had the highest value of Premium Bond prize winnings in proportion to the number of bonds held.

Tickets can be bought at Post Offices

That figure was �28,783 - more than �10,000 above Huddersfield in second place.

The top five was completed by Harrogate, Sutton and Liverpool.

Scotland provided four of the 10 unluckiest towns, with Kirkwall propping up the table below Guernsey, Jersey and Shrewsbury.

Lerwick, Motherwell and Paisley were fourth, fifth and sixth bottom respectively.

Edinburgh was the unluckiest of the UK's four capital cities.

London came top of the pile, with a total prize fund of �6,970,000.