THE smart money was on Blackpool or Greenwich, with media commentators divided over which one would end up the winner. But, for once, this was a big news event which refused to follow the carefully written pre-prepared script.

Jaws dropped in newsrooms across the country just after 11am yesterday when Manchester was announced as the home of Britain's first super casino.

The news broke as lobby journalists were attending a daily briefing by No 10 officials. One journalist said: "It was a real surprise to everyone. You could see people quivering."

Shock in media organisations soon turned to panic and a mad dash. They had reporters and crews on the ground by Blackpool Tower and at the Dome in Greenwich, waiting to broadcast live reaction, but no-one immediately available in the winning city.

Suddenly all eyes turned towards the surprise choice, with a scramble to reach positions outside the City of Manchester Stadium.

Even Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell was said to have been taken unawares. "She was as surprised as anyone else," commented a Whitehall insider.

Both BBC News 24 and Sky News made valiant efforts to catch up with the story, via phone interviews with leaders of the Manchester bid.

Blackley Labour MP Graham Stringer was tracked down on a train and interviewed on his mobile. Researchers hit the phones to find other local figures to comment on the decision.

By early afternoon, it was a tale of `blubbing in Blackpool and gutted in Greenwich' as TV correspondents finally went live in Manchester.

In an age of spin and news management, this was one story which defied the odds. As one TV contributor pointed out, it was a day when all those who had a flutter on Blackpool or Greenwich were reminded that there is also a down side to gambling. Tweet