Please help! My £10,750 is stuck in a Spanish bank branch

Ms F.M. writes: I sold a property in Spain but kept my Banco Popular account open to receive a Spanish tax rebate. My account held €11,821 (about £10,750), but it has since been blocked. I have been trying since 2018 to get my money out, but the bank told my Spanish lawyer I must go in person, which is difficult as I have serious health problems.

JUDGING by similar complaints I have received, it is far easier to open a Spanish bank account than to close it. Your Banco Popular account in Valencia has proved to be a lucky exception though, as the bank was taken over by Santander, which has a thriving presence in Britain.

Staff at Santander told me you could go to any branch, where they would set up online access to your Banco Popular account. You could then transfer cash to any bank in Britain. And when you explained that your health issues left you virtually housebound, Santander said it would send someone to your home.

A spokesman told me: ‘To protect customers from fraud, it is important we ensure that identification requirements are met before closing accounts or transferring funds. We are sorry for the time it has taken Ms M to close her account.’

Your money l anded i n your British bank account a week before Christmas, and Santander has confirmed to me that your Banco Popular account is now closed.