A single mum, who had to borrow cash from a vicar, and a pensioners' group are among people who have been left without savings after the sudden closure of a Bradford credit union.

As reported in the Telegraph & Argus on Saturday, the St Columba Credit Union office on Tong Street ceased trading unexpectedly overnight.

Karen White, a single-parent who works part time, said she was reliant on the credit union for her day-to-day finances. Her wages were paid into the savings scheme and all of her outgoing expenses were handled from it.

Mrs White said she went to its office last Friday to withdraw money to put petrol in her car and pay for shopping for her and her son, four, when she found the building locked.

Mrs White said: "I can understand the reasons why they have closed down but they should have given some warning to people. All of my money is tied up there. If they had said even a week ago they were in danger of closing we could have at least asked our employers to change over our bank details so our wages were not paid there.

"I went on Friday to withdraw money to pay for food for my children and could not get any. I had to borrow from a local vicar. What else could I do? I have never had any problems with the credit union before but we really should have been informed.

"There are some people with life savings in there."

Mrs White has since been able to open a bank account but now faces a long wait to try to recover the wages and other cash she has tied up in the Credit Union.

Dunsford Group for Older People has not been as lucky. Collectively the pensioners' group has about £1,800 held by the credit union.

Thirteen members had been saving up to go on a "Turkey and Tinsel" holiday to Llandudno in November. Some had already paid £220 for the holiday, and had even started saving spending money. Secretary Maureen Hall said: "I could cancel it but there must be something we can do.

"I'm sure I can get the money from somewhere. I've been told the credit union money is there but I don't know how to get it."

The union took the decision to close the branch in the face of diminishing staff numbers and a series of attacks on its members. It says the final straw came, after a pregnant staff member was robbed of £1,000 as she left the building.

Union members still face an uncertain future over the recovery of their cash.

A letter sent to members stated their money would be protected by a Financial Services compensation scheme, but the Financial Services Authority (FSA) denied this, saying it was not handling the administration of the union but was in talks over setting up a system to get money tied up in the union back to members.

FSA spokesman Robin Gordon-Walker said: "In the short term there is not much that can be done, until the credit union branch is officially closed.

"Once it is official, the compensation scheme can be activated."

No-one at the credit union was available to comment.

e-mail: mark.casci@bradford.newsquest.co.uk