ON December 20, I went to my local post office to draw my pension, only to be told the machine had been playing up all day and had finally "crashed" so no money could be paid out.

I had a bill to pay but could not access the Alliance & Leicester account or the Lloyds TSB account as they are all linked to the same system.

The post office clerk was most apologetic, although it was not her fault and said she understood it was to do with the weather.

If the Government had to tinker with a perfectly good system they could at least have made sure the replacement system worked and our pensions are available to us on the day they are due, not when the weather and the machine are compatible.

It is another example of the complete indifference of this Government to those of us who have lived and worked here all our lives.

Mrs M Morley

Tennyson Road

Headless Cross