STUNNED shoppers stood guard for an hour after a busy high street bank was mysteriously abandoned by staff.

Lesley Phillips and two other customers sprung into action after realising something was wrong at Barclays, in Leigh Broadway.

The front doors were wide open, but no one was inside.

When the trio investigated further they discovered the entire bank – including the cashiers’ service area and the route to the vault – had been left unlocked.

A Barclays spokeswoman said the firm was taking the matter “extremely seriously”.

Lesley, who lives in Leigh, said: “It was astounding. There wasn’t a soul in sight, and the whole place was open.

“We could get everywhere. Upstairs, all the way to the vault, even behind the glass, which separates cashiers from customers.”

Lesley said her main concern was something serious had happened.

She continued: “We looked around because we thought someone might have collapsed or been in trouble, but there simply wasn’t anybody there.

“We didn’t know what to do, so we decided to phone the police and stand guard until they arrived. We also tried to get hold of somebody at Barclays, but nobody picked up the phone.”

Lesley discovered there was a problem when she tried to withdraw some cash from the cashpoint outside the bank at about 2pm on Saturday.

She recalled: “There was a bit of a queue, so I looked over and saw the front doors were open and decided to get money from inside.

“But when I went in, there was nobody else there, other than this couple I met.”

Lesley called the police immediately, but it took until nearly 3pm for officers to show up.

Two PCSOs were still standing guard outside the bank two hours later.

Lesley has been left unimpressed by the whole incident.

She said: “As a Barclays customer, I feel absolutely disgusted.

“I’ve been a customer for more than 30 years, but I’m reconsidering it now. How can you leave a bank open like that?”

A Barclays spokeswoman said: “We take these matters extremely seriously.

“We would like to thank the member of the public for bringing this to our attention and confirm no customers’ accounts will be at risk as a result of this incident.”

The bank later said there was a defective lock on the front door.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We were called just after 2pm. PCSOs attended and found the bank open and unstaffed, and took steps to contact Barclays.

“The bank’s security firm was called, but did not attend to make it secure until 5.50pm. PCSOs had remained at the scene until then.”