A RECENTLY widowed Hollywood woman was left distraught after receiving a bereavement allowance of more than £1,000 which she was later told was a mistake.

Angela Underwood, 55, of Paddocks Farm Estate, received the £1,043 cheque from the Prospect Hill Benefits Agency on Thursday but was asked to return it the same morning.

She said she was first told the money was a bereavement benefit coupled with her late husband Brian's contributions.

He died in May, aged 64, from a heart attack.

Mrs Underwood said: "I am absolutely devastated. It's not about the money but mistakes like this which should not happen at such an emotional time.

"We were married for 34 years and I am completely lost."

Chris Leach, of the Department of Work and Pensions, formerly the DSS, said: "Mrs Underwood received the normal £2,000 lump sum bereavement allowance at the start of June.

"Following on from that was a weekly benefit, but unfortunately due to staff error the wrong amount was calculated and a cheque for weekly benefit including arrears for just over £1,000 was sent to her.

"This was a simple human error and as soon as we discovered it, which was very quickly, we contacted Mrs Underwood and asked for the cheque to be returned and have since put the correct amount into payment."