A RAMSBOTTOM man who did not pay for petrol because of an error by the cashier says his wife and daughter were left terrified and thought he may have died when police attended their house to investigate.

Christopher Hardy filled up his car at the Esso garage in Stubbins Lane on November 22.

He says he could not remember which pump he had used, so the cashier helped him to check he paid for the right one.

Then the cashier asked if he had a Tesco clubcard, and in the confusion, the cashier forgot to charge him for his fuel.

Mr Hardy drove back to his house, in Stanford Hall Crescent, unaware of the problem.

It was only when Mr Hardy received a phone call from police the next day when he was at working at Dunelm Mill in Ashton, where he is a manager, that he was informed that staff at the petrol station had informed the police.

Officers had attended his home, where his wife and four-year-old daughter were, and asked to confirm Mr Hardy's name and registration plate.

Mrs Hardy immediately feared the worst, especially after one of her husband's work colleagues had recently died in a car crash.

Mr Hardy said: "My wife and daughter were really worried when the police were asking for my details, especially after one of my friends at work died recently.

"We have been using the same petrol station for the last eight years, and it is frustrating that I would be treated like this.

"I spoke to the police and explained the situation, and they said it sounded like a mistake.

"I work in retail, and if one of my staff doesn't charge somebody for a mirror, I can't ring the police and ask them to go and collect the money, it is just written off as a loss."

Mr Hardy said the officers were very understanding about the situation, and he has been told the matter will not be taken any further by police.

The garage did not respond to a request for a comment.