Hello police, I am locked inside a bank!
DISABLED CUSTOMER SENDS OUT SOS AFTER BEING LEFT IN BACK OFFICE AFTER STAFF LOCK UP AND LEAVE FOR NIGHT
A DISABLED woman was locked inside a bank for half an hour after staff ‘forgot about her’ and closed up with her still inside.
Cat Slater, 55, visited her local branch of TSB in Irlam, Salford late yesterday afternoon to talk about her account.
When she asked if she could use a phone to call the bank’s customer service line, she was shown to a back office.
As Cat sat on hold, she suddenly realised all the lights had gone out. When she walked out of the room, the alarms started blaring.
Cat immediately rang 999 and told police she was trapped inside the building on Moorfield Parade, off Liverpool Road. Officers then began trying to contact key holders.
A member of staff later arrived to let Cat out as her friend comforted her through the window.
Bank bosses said the alarms were set at 5.15pm - and that Cat was let out at 5.45pm. They have vowed to take ‘immediate action’ to ensure it never happens again. Cat, who lives in Irlam, said she was left ‘unnerved’ by the ordeal.
The mum-of-two, who uses a walking stick after suffering nerve damage to her spine, told the M.E.N.: “I’ve been in some situations in my time, but this was ridiculous.
“I was on the phone for a while and was being put on hold and passed around. Then I realised all the lights had gone out.
“That’s when I thought ‘I’m in trouble here.’ They must have just forgotten about me.”
While she waited for police to help, Cat called a friend who dashed to the bank and spoke to her through the window.
“I don’t think the police believed me at first,” she said. “It felt like a really long time. The alarms were really loud and I didn’t dare touch anything. Later a woman came and was really apologetic. She just said sorry asked me if I was okay.
“I was a bit shaken up and unnerved by it all. I can see the funny side, but it shouldn’t have happened.
“I can’t believe staff don’t check the premises before they lock up.
“It’s a lapse in health and safety, but also security for them.”
TSB Greater Manchester area director Russell Brierley said: “We are very sorry that a customer was unfortunately locked inside the Irlam branch for around 30 minutes while she was on the phone to one of our contact centres.
“This was a genuine mistake and we’re taking immediate action to make sure this can never happen again. We can’t apologise to the customer enough and we have already arranged to speak personally to the customer.”