BANKS and building societies are warning customers to be on their guard after a cash machine gang was thought to be operating in the area.

The cunning thieves are using a device that stops people from getting their plastic cards back -- then they swoop with the customer's bank account at their mercy.

Chorley woman Andrea Hodson, 32, told the Citizen how her husband Timothy, 37, almost fell foul of the crafty tricksters.

Mrs Hodson, of Clayton-le-Woods, explained: "My husband went to the Abbey National at Leyland. He put his card in the machine and noticed an Asian/Oriental lady behind him.

"The machine took his card and nothing was happening and it was making funny noises.

"He looked at the machine and could see there had been a false gadget stuck into it. He looked round, the lady standing behind said 'What's the matter?'.

"He managed to pull the gadget from the machine and along with it came his card. He turned round to the lady and said 'I'll be taking this to the police'."

Mrs Hodson, who works as a part-time reservations clerk at Alfa Travel, Euxton Lane, Euxton, said the woman appeared to be with a man -- also of Asian/Oriental appearance -- who was waiting on the opposite side of the road. She said they both quickly disappeared.

She added: "They wait until you have gone and remove the card which you think is stuck. Before that they look over your shoulder for your pin number. It happens in the evening when the banks are shut so you can't go in.

"I can't believe it -- the cheek of them."

Mrs Hodson described the device as a small, oblong piece of plastic with a little leather flap on the back that prevents cards from being returned by the ATM. It is designed to fit in the card slot.

She said by coincidence, a warning about the scam had just been circulated at her workplace and that a friend had also experienced a similar situation at Lloyds in Leyland.

A spokeswoman for the Abbey National said: "We can confirm there was one incident at the ATM in Leyland.

"We have been in contact with the police and they advise us it that this incident is a one off.

"We would reiterate to anyone using an ATM, as this gentleman did, to look around and look at the slot to make sure it looks normal."

She added: "There have been industry reports of it happening at ATMs, but it is not a huge problem."

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB said there had been no reports of such an incident at its Leyland branch.

However, he added: "There have been a few rumours and counter rumours flying around the Chorley area.

"We would urge people to be vigilant before they put their card in the slot and during withdrawing money."

A police spokesman said: "We would urge people to be cautious when they are withdrawing cash from machines like these.

"We are looking into the gadget and obviously are very keen to establish just exactly what it is."

He added: "We are taking this incident very seriously indeed.

"We would advise anybody who finds such a gadget to take it to the nearest police station and we will investigate."