Moving photo of woman trapped inside bank after staff forgot she was there

 A disabled woman was locked inside a bank after staff forgot she was there.

Cat Slater, 55, was using a phone to call TSB's customer service line in her local branch when suddenly all of the lights went out.

Manchester Evening News reports when she left the private room to see what was going on, she was met with blaring alarms - and no way of getting out.


Cat immediately rang 999 and told police she was trapped inside the building in Irlam, Salford, .

Officers then began trying to contact key holders.A member of staff later arrived to let Cat out as her friend comforted her through the window.

 The mum-of-two, who uses a walking stick after suffering nerve damage to her spine, told the Manchester Evening News

: “I’ve been in some situations in my time, but this was ridiculous.I asked if I could use the phone and I was sat in this little office.

“I was on the phone for a while and was being put on hold and passed around. Then I realised all the lights had gone out.
“That’s when I thought ‘I’m in trouble here.’ They must have just forgotten about me.”I don’t think the police believed me at first,” she said.
“It felt like a really long time. The alarms were really loud and I didn’t dare touch anything.
“Later a woman came and was really apologetic. She just said sorry asked me if I was okay.
“I was a bit shaken up and unnerved by it all. I can see the funny side, but it shouldn’t have happened.
“I can’t believe staff don’t check the premises before they lock up.
“It’s a lapse in health and safety, but also security for them. I could have been anyone.”