3 October 2012 Last updated at 15:24 ET

Council tax direct debits collected early in Slough

A Berkshire council has apologised after thousands of people's council tax direct debits totalling £1.69m were collected early.

Ruth Bagley, Slough Borough Council's chief executive, said the "system error" was being investigated.

She said 13,449 residents who pay by direct debit on the first of the month had money taken out on Friday instead of Monday, 1 October.

The council is writing to them to apologise.

It is also advising on what they can do if they have incurred bank charges.

Ms Bagley said: "We cannot apologise enough for what has happened and we are putting measures in place to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Slough council said the total sum of the tax it had collected early was £1.69m.