CROWDS gathered to withdraw money from an Ipswich bank – after the branch’s cash machine started dispensing ‘free money’.

The ATM at the Nacton Road Lloyds TSB issued twice the amount requested by members of the public, sparking a flurry of withdrawals by delighted customers.

However, police were called when arguments broke out among those trying to use the faulty machine.

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB said it would be difficult to trace the customers affected and said it was unlikely they would try to reclaim the money.

Up to 30 people flocked to the branch as word spread.

Police officers were called to the bank at 8.05pm on Tuesday night after a concerned member of the public reported arguments breaking out among the crowd.

A Suffolk police spokesman said: “The incorrect dispensing of cash is not a police issue, but we remained on scene until staff from the Lloyds bank arrived and turned off the cash machine.”

Ipswich resident Emma Hutchinson told The Star she received a phone call from an anonymous friend at around 7pm telling her the cash machine was dispensing “free money”.

“Word got around pretty quickly,” she said. “My friend asked for �40 and the machine gave out �80.”

Ms Hutchinson went to see if the rumour was true before uploading a picture of police on the scene at Nacton Road to The Star’s iWitness 24 website.

“I initially thought I would try my luck, then got paranoid the bank would be able to find out who took the money and ask for it back.

“Me and my partner were so gob-smacked, we’d never seen anything like it before.

“We had a long discussion in the car on whether I should get money out and then decided not to,” Ms Hutchinson said.

A spokesman for Lloyds TSB said: “For a very short period of time, the ATM at Nacton Road was mis- dispensing cash whilst the branch was closed.

“The machine was put out of service. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”