Cheque this out

When businesswoman Michelle Gordine asked her local bank for a new cheque book she got a big surprise - four sacks containing 200 cheque books!

Considering she only uses two cheque books a year it would have taken 100 years to use them all up.

But she got another shock when she told the HSBC about its error and an official asked if she would mind taking them to her nearest branch.

Michelle, 36, of Silver Birch Avenue, Stotfold, who normally uses the HSBC branches in Biggleswade and Letchworth GC, told the bank to make an appointment with her to collect the bags and until they do they will remain piled up in her conservatory.

An HSBC spokesman said: "HSBC always likes to ensure our customers never run out of cheques."