The winner of the Diamond Meltdown at Inverness’s Victorian Market – taking home a £1,000 ring – has been announced.
Competitors had to guess the day, hour, minute and second – or at least come the closest – that the ring encased inside a block of ice.
More than 1,300 people took part in the competition, in association with the Press and Journal.
25-year-old Jessica Walker from Nottingham became the lucky winner of the £1,000 prize after guessing just three minutes and 25 seconds off the winning time.
She said she is planning to keep the ring and gift it to her daughter when she is older.
She said: “It’s very shocking. I feel very lucky.
“I was just doing competitions online because I do them in my free time and I came across it and I thought I would give it a go. Just in it to win it, why not? I wasn’t expecting to hear anything.
“I just thought that’s a huge block of ice and went from there. I would like to say I was clever but no, it was a guess.
“I think I will keep it for now and then my little girl can have it when she is older.”
Dozens of residents turned out to the market each day to check the progress of the melting block of ice, with some reported to have turned out several times each day.
Market manager Jo Murray said the success of the campaign had given her food for thought in terms of future initiatives to boost footfall.
She said: “I am delighted. We had a slight increase in footfall over the promotion which has been very encouraging. We have had new customers coming in to the market, which has been very welcome to see. It’s been a very exciting project to be involved with and working with Neil and the team at the P&J have been very creative and supportive throughout the campaign.
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“Now that we have seen how successful this type of campaign can be, its giving me ideas for future campaigns; doing things slightly different to attract a new customer into the market.
“In a way I am delighted that it has gone to a winner out with the area because it means the Victorian Market has been exposed to a different customer and if they are ever in the area they will maybe remember us and come in and visit.”
The competition was staged in association with The Press and Journal, Inverness Common Good Fund and four in-house market jewellers.
