A STROKE victim can't access her Post Office pension account - because bosses say they can't recognise her signature .

Lillian Davies, 89, has had a series of strokes which have left her too weak and shaky to sign her name properly.

Now she cannot get access to her Post Office account, because her signature does not match with the sample they have on file.

Her son Glyn, 64, of Neston Road, Newport, was trying to help his mother get access to her money and has sent letters with her signature.

The company say they can't correspond with anyone not named on the account - and they cannot act on the letters signed by Mrs Davies, because her signature is not the same as the one they have on file. "I just don't know where to go next," Mr Davies said.

"They won't talk to me and won't allow my mum's signature, so there is around £3,000 which has been sitting in the account that she can't access. We now owe around £1,800 in charges to the care home which I can't afford to pay. Newport council have been very understanding but I don't know how long their patience will continue for."

The problems arose when Mrs Davies moved into Blaen-y-Pant Residential Home in Newport.

Mr Davies said: "We have managed to change the address, and have ordered a new card. But we cannot use it because we have been unable to get a new PIN number.

"It's a total farce. My mother has dementia and cannot speak to them over the phone - I don't know what we're supposed to do next."

A spokeswoman for the Post Office said they sympathised with the family. She said they had contacted the family a number of times to explain their strict security policies.

She said: "It is never our intention to deliberately hold back access to a customer's account and we sincerely hope that a satisfactory solution can be achieved as quickly as possible for the benefit of all concerned."

Mr Davies said he had been advised the only way to access the money would be to get power of attorney over the account which he says will cost money and time.