My mother died nearly four months ago, having made me her executor. She had banked with NatWest for more than 60 years.

NatWest’s bereavement services team advised me to take originals of her will and death certificate to my local branch where they would be copied. The copies would then be sent on by bank staff to the relevant section of the bank.

I did as asked two days after my mother’s death. The copy of the death certificate reached bereavement services, but NatWest managed to “lose” its copy of the will.

By the time I was notified of the loss, the original will had been sent to the Probate Registry. Even though a member of NatWest staff had seen the original will alongside proof of my identity, NatWest’s bereavement services refused to unblock my mother’s non- interest bearing account until I produced a signed will again.

This, of course, I was unable to do immediately. I have had to wait until I received the Grant of Probate, almost four months after my mother’s death, for NatWest to finally agree to release the account monies.

NatWest’s error has caused me considerable stress and difficulty at an already unhappy time. Please advise your readers that, if they ever take documents to NatWest for copying they should insist on being given a signed receipt as proof.