A pensioner today thanked the Telegraph & Argus for helping him reclaim £50,000 that a bank had persuaded him to lock away for five years.

The 84-year-old widower from Eccleshill, who wishes to remain anonymous, says that a Barclays Bank financial advisor persuaded him to put the proceeds of his house sale into an investment account.

But he says he was upset by the death of his wife at the time and didn't realise what he was being urged to do.

In tears, the retired painter and decorator told the T&A that he was "worried sick" about surviving on the £20 a week he had left out of his pension after he had paid his rent.

But after the T&A published his story yesterday the bank relented and told him he could have his money back after all.

He says he has been promised that the full £50,000 will be paid into his current account, with interest, by tomorrow.

"I am very grateful to the T&A," said the 84-year-old. "I just didn't know what to do and it upset me so much. I have really taken it badly with my wife passing away. I think it wants looking at, the way they have done this to me."

His son said: "I can't believe how they have treated him especially when they knew he wasn't himself. I don't think he would have got it back so easily if it hadn't been for the T&A."

The money had gone into an Individual Savings Account and a stock market linked managed income fund which had not been due to mature until 2005.

Barclays has claimed the pensioner approached the bank for advice on investing his money. But he told the T&A: "I just asked the cashier how much interest I would get if I put it into my current account and she said: 'You don't want to put it in there - I will get someone to see you and you might get some more money'."

Barclays says it has started an investigation into the complaint made about the advice given at its Market Street branch in Bradford.

A spokesman said: "We are pulling the information together regarding this case and will give a full statement as soon as we have the full story."