LONDON (Reuters) - A British cash machine became a big hit this week after it started paying out twice as much money as it should.

The ATM, outside a supermarket in they city of Hull in northern England, began spewing out double the money Tuesday afternoon and continued doing so for several hours, drawing a crowd of hundreds eager to cash in on the mistake.

Those requesting the maximum daily withdrawal of 300 pounds ($600) were being given 600 pounds and a receipt for 300.

"People were calling their mates up and telling them to get down there," the Hull Daily Mail quoted a passer-by as saying.

After several hours the machine finally ran out of money.

Payzone, a company that administers ATMs, would not comment in detail on the incident but said it appeared one of its machines had malfunctioned.

Police said those who had benefited could face charges but only if the operator complained.

(Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Ibon Villelabeitia)



I would love if that happened to me just once! Of course having to return it, and face possible charges would end the happiness real quick! But for just awhile i'd feel great anyways!

i would think about returning the money IN MY DREAMS. f*** THE BANKS THEY ARE CORRUPT ANYWAYS

This is how silly I am: I had that happen to me once- it was twenty dollars and I was given forty dollars and a receipt for twenty- so I walked into the adjoining bank and turned the extra twenty in.

I'm a fool !

There was another story that I read, where who ever loads the machines, put the 20 dollar bills in the 10 dollar bill slots, and visa versa...They also said these people that took the money could be bought up on charges....If it ever happened to me, I'd plead that I was legally blind, and hadn't learned braille yet...

No your not! Honesty is never foolish, and as much as it would feel good at the momment, i'd probably do the same!

And i could see you walking into a few walls just to prove it too!