'Too little, too late': Somerset couple who lost thousands criticise Post Office apology

• Andrew and Kathy Tizzard said the Post Office apology is "too little, too late"

A couple from Somerset who lost thousands of pounds of their own money while running a branch of the Post Office have said an apology from the company's boss is "too little, too late".

Andrew and Kathy Tizzard ran their branch in South Wales but ended up using their own money to make up for a £20,000 shortfall caused by the new Horizon IT accounting software.

The-then boss of the Post Office, Paula Vennels, broke down in tears while giving evidence to an inquiry investigating the Horizon IT scandal for the first time on Wednesday 22 May.

Paula said: "I fully accept now, that the Post Office knew that. I completely accept it. Personally, I didn't know that and I'm incredibly sorry."

But Mr and Mrs Tizzard criticised Ms Vennels apology, as "hollow" and "too little, too late".

"Well to be honest with you, it's just hollow," Kathy said.

"We can all sit there after the event and say 'I'm sorry for this' or 'I'm sorry for that'. But in reality, I personally feel she knew an awful lot of what was going on.

Andrew added: "It's too little, too late. We need the questions answered."

The pair were visited by investigators demanding to see their accounts, as portrayed in the ITV drama Mr Bates versus the Post Office.

The only way the couple could avoid further action was to pay back the money - which they were wrongly accused of taking - themselves. This amounted to around £20,000 and they have never been compensated for it.

Andrew recalled: "Balance nights, we were there until two in the morning, staring at Horizon, not understanding how we could remove errors that we knew were not there."

But for Kathy, the impact was even more severe and she was admitted to an intensive care unit in hospital for organ failure, due to stress.

"My weight had dropped so much because of the stress", Kathy said.

"I also remember saying to the specialist - when he said ' I think you're going to be okay to go home and go back in a couple of days' - I said 'please don't send me back'."

The experience still affects this couple, having received no compensation and the pair know they are not alone.

Kathy and Andrew say they finally want the truth - and for those responsible to be held to account.