A PENSIONER was left feeling embarrassed and belittled after a high street bank refused to allow him to withdraw money because his passport was two weeks out of date. David McClelland, 66, of Lymebourne Park, along with his friend Phil Smith, a chef at th

A PENSIONER was left feeling embarrassed and belittled after a high street bank refused to allow him to withdraw money because his passport was two weeks out of date.

David McClelland, 66, of Lymebourne Park, along with his friend Phil Smith, a chef at the Hotel Elizabeth, tried to withdraw money from a joint bank account at Abbey on Fore Street last week.

But Mr McClelland was told by the cashier that his passport, which had expired on October 13, was no longer legal.

He then produced his birth certificate, bus pass and cash card but was told that none of them were suitable.

Mr McClelland, a retired land lord, said: "I've been with that bank for about eight years and I think it was disgusting the way they treated me.

"Through the ordeal there were other customers in the bank and I was very embarrassed by this as it looked as if I was a criminal trying to get out money by using false identification.

"I just couldn't understand why the woman couldn't use my passport as ID when it wasn't very long out of date.

"It's still got my name, photograph and date of birth on it."

David, who visited the bank weekly to put in winnings from the Magpie Racing Club he runs, had to return the following day with his driving licence.

He added: "Although I did get the money out, the lads who are in the club were annoyed because they got their winnings a day late.

"The bank accepted my driving licence, which is still in date, although I haven't driven for 10 years."

David has now cancelled all his accounts with the bank and is intending to write a letter of complaint to the bank's headquarters.

He said: "The same person served me when I went to cancel the account and didn't even apologise."

The Herald contacted Abbey for a comment but after waiting 24 hours they said they could not respond to the complaint unless Mr McClelland gave them written authority to do so as well as his full address and account number.