PO customers hit by computer fault

Computer glitches left post offices across the country unable to process transactions for up to three hours today leaving some customers unable to draw their pensions and benefits.

The company's computer network went down at about 9am, with one subpostmaster from Shropshire saying it left him unable to handle 90 per cent of his transactions. It meant some customers were turned away.

The Post Office apologised, saying that the service had been restored across the UK network of 11,800 branches by noon.

The problem affected pensioners seeking to draw their pensions, people with Post Office Card Accounts used by some people receiving benefits, state pensions and tax credit payments, and others who have a bank account through the Post Office.

Bruce Bill, subpostmaster at Minsterley Post Office near Shrewsbury, said the issue had caused him major problems this morning.

He said: "The Post Office national computer went down and we couldn't do 90 per cent of our transactions. It was down from 9am this morning and was a real pain. It came back on shortly before noon.

"We couldn't do a lot of trade today and I was having to turn people away."

Paul Thomas, subpostmaster at Frankwell Post Office in Shrewsbury, said he also had to turn away a small number of people because of the problem.

"I've had to turn three or four people away but some are coming back this afternoon or tomorrow to see if it's back on," he said. "These things happen with computers."

But Ray Khela, postmaster at Newport Post Office in High Street, said it had not affected his branch too much.

He said: "We are fortunate to have a HSBC cash machine just outside and a Lloyds cash machine over the road so it is easy for our customers to get money and pay in other ways.

"Those that have been affected are pensioners. Luckily we haven't had too many in today."

Post Office spokesman Heulyn Gwyn Davies said: "A temporary computer problem that affected access to online banking services at Post Office branches earlier this morning has now been fixed.

"We are very sorry for any inconvenience this problem has caused customers."