Shivering bank customers were left in the cold outside Lloyds TSB bank in Maidenhead today.

A faulty fire alarm caused staff to be evacuated from the High Street branch at 10.15am. Maintenance staff finally allowed the building to reopen at 2.30pm after making a thorough search of the building to ensure there was no danger.

Firefighters did not attend but Lloyds TSB spokesman Charlotte Sjoberg said: "We had a responsibility to our staff and customers to ensure their safety."

But one angry customer Judith Viner said: "They might have put a note outside so people knew what was going on. There was a big queue, people could not even use the cash machines inside.

"We had a big cheque to pay in and had to use another bank that takes longer to clear them. It has lost us three days interest."

Were you affected by the closure? Tell us in the box below.