A mum was left furious - and cashless - in front of an ATM after the money she withdrew from her account failed to emerge.

Fakenham & Wells Times: Sophie Setchell, left, who lost £190 when she tried to use an ATM in Fakenham town centre. Picture: Supplied by Sophie SetchellSophie Setchell, left, who lost £190 when she tried to use an ATM in Fakenham town centre. Picture: Supplied by Sophie Setchell (Image: Archant)

Now Sophie Setchell, 21, has been forced to rely on loans from friends and family after losing £190 in the incident - and has been warned she may not be refunded the sum.

Mrs Setchell, from Fakenham, tried to take cash from an ATM in front of the Lloyds bank branch in the town centre around 1pm on Tuesday, February 11.

The mum of three-year-old Alicia said: "I put my card in, took it out and saw that the ATM was running and making a sound as if the money was about to come out. I thought 'well come on, then' and the slot opened but nothing came out.

"I quickly checked my bank account online and saw that the money had been taken out."

Mrs Setchell, a Nationwide bank customer, then went into the Lloyds branch to ask if they could help, but staff said her own bank would have to sort it out.

She said: "I waited at the Lloyds while my husband went to the Nationwide. They said 'you'll have to fill out a form and it could be up to 15 days'.

"I thought 'what?'. How am I supposed to live with no money for 15 days?

"That money was to pay for my gas and other bills, and I was really angry because I couldn't get food in for Alicia. This has left me short, and I want to raise awareness so it doesn't happen to anyone else."

Mrs Setchell said she had since been told by Nationwide she was not guaranteed to get her money back, and that she had been forced to borrow money from a friend and her mum, which was "not ideal".

A Nationwide spokesman said: "Once we have the facts from the member, Nationwide then needs to contact Lloyds who will investigate if their ATM balanced and will report back to Nationwide, who will then update the member of the outcome. If Lloyds confirm the ATM was out by £190 then the money will be refunded to the member."

A spokesman for Lloyds said its Fakenham branch did not have a history of faulty ATMs, but a fault was registered with one of branch's two machines at 1.15pm on Tuesday. He said ATM disputes were dealt with the LINK Scheme - the UK's largest cash machine network - and it was up to the customer's own bank to raise the dispute with Lloyds via LINK for the claim to be investigated.