Retailer Zavvi apologises for Champions League final prize email blunder

Zavvi apologised after sending a mass email telling recipients they had won a VIP trip to the Champions League final Credit: PA

Retailer Zavvi has apologised for mistakenly telling customers they had won VIP tickets to the Champions League final.

It's thought the company's entire email database may have been sent a notification of winning the tickets, flights, hotel accommodation and a £250 prepaid cash card.

Social media feeds lit up as customer after customer reported receiving “huge congratulations” from Zavvi for being “chosen as the winner” of a VIP trip for two to see Tottenham v Liverpool in Madrid.

Hundreds of Liverpool fans contacted their local paper to report the blunder.

But excitement was dashed when Zavvi tweeted out an apology, referring to “some technical issues”.

The tweet – subsequently deleted – read: “Apologies, we’re aware of the problem regarding the recent Mastercard Competition.

"We seem to have had some technical issues and we’re currently looking into this.”

A Mastercard spokesman said: “We are extremely disappointed with today’s events and our sympathies go to the many people who were wrongly contacted by Zavvi in connection to their competition.

“We have asked Zavvi to clarify how they are resolving as a matter of urgency.”

News of the winners came after an extraordinary 24 hours for English football as first Liverpool came from behind to defeat Barcelona in stunning fashion and then Spurs produced a last-gasp victory over Ajax in Amsterdam.

Zavvi, which sells games, DVDs, music and clothing online, has been contacted for comment.