Those who fall into the cycle of debt quickly find that the quick and convenient injections of money they borrowed can come with a price even higher than the often exorbitant interest rates some lenders charge.

Loan companies can seem very friendly and accommodating when it comes to lending you the cash, but fall behind on repayments and a different side to the lenders can emerge.

Those who get in dire straits might find that the accounts are passed on to debt collectors who come knocking at the door... and this has taken an even more sinister turn with the revelations that collectors are now lurking outside school gates to confront late payers.

This is obviously frightening and embarrassing for those who find themselves ambushed in the street, in full view of neighbours, friends and other parents. It is a tactic that needs to be closely looked at and preferably stamped out by those who license and police financial institutions and their representatives.

The lenders themselves would argue that sending debt collectors to confront people in person is often an action of last resort because they have been unable to make suitable contact with the people who owe them money.

In that case, those in debt can do something to help themselves and try to avoid such unpleasant situations. It is very easy for those with mounting financial problems to bury their head in the sand and hope it will go away, but that is rarely a course of action that succeeds.

Those who feel they cannot deal directly with creditors should seek help from the Citizens Advice Bureau or one of the registered debt charities. No situation, no matter how dire it seems, is insurmountable, and talking about problems is often the first step to solving them.