A BINGO caller is hoping his numbers will come up as he competes to win the chance to progress to the national final of a prestigious competition.Sheffen Allibhi, the caller at Mecca Bingo in Ipswich, has already made it through to the Midlands regional final of the competition after impressing judges in the initial stages.

A BINGO caller is hoping his numbers will come up as he competes to win the chance to progress to the national final of a prestigious competition.

Sheffen Allibhi, the caller at Mecca Bingo in Ipswich, has already made it through to the Midlands regional final of the competition after impressing judges in the initial stages.

And now Sheffen will be hoping he will be top of the shop (number 90), so he can go on to attend the most important event in the bingo calendar - the annual final of Caller of the Year, which will be held in London at Mecca's Wood Green Club, on November 25.

When asked the secret to his success, Sheffen noted his charm, charisma and friendly personality as key to his popularity with the regulars.

He said: “No matter what age group of people are in, I can crack a joke and have a great time with the audience, it's all about providing pure entertainment for everyone.

“To win such a prestigious award would mean the world to me - it would be such a great honour to be the ambassador for the industry and help increase the popularity of the game.”

Sheffen has already got a dedicated fan base, and a coach load of supporters are making the trip to Birmingham for the regional final, armed with banners to cheer him on.

The rigorous selection process will involve contestants performing a three minute introduction on stage, followed by calling a game of bingo in front of the judges and an interview testing their knowledge of the game and its rules.

If Sheffen, who has just two years experience as a bingo caller, wins the national title he will scoop a trip to Las Vegas, where he will have the chance to call a game at a casino and take home £500.

Mecca Bingo spokesperson Amy Collier said: “This is the greatest accolade a bingo caller can ask for as winning such a competition means they will be the ambassador for the industry over the next year.”

n. Do you Sheffen? Do you think he should win? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk