A NEWSAGENT from Blackburn has been thrust into the national spotlight after his building society branded him their worst customer in the country.

And Nawab Khan, a 46-year-old father of five, is now considering closing the Britannia Building Society account he has held for more than 15 years.

Mr Khan, who runs Redlam News, was shocked when he was told his name had been picked out by a computer set up to find the building society's least profitable customer.

Britannia's marketing director Gerald Gregory explained the system to his colleagues at a recent conference.

The society uses a computer to assess every customer's worth to it so staff can tailor their response to their needs.

Because Mr Khan has an account with £1,700 which he hasn't touched for 15 years he has made the building society no money at all. The Britannia sifted through 2.5 million accounts and identified their worst customer simply as a Blackburn newsagent.

But Mr Khan is adamant he is the man who has been pinpointed by the computer because he fits the profile the building society has drawn up.

He has never borrowed from the building society and does not have an overdraft so he has never made them any money.

He said: "I am pretty upset by the whole thing and ever since my name has appeared in the newspapers my phone has not stopped ringing.

"I have been a customer with Britannia for more than ten years and I feel I have been treated pretty badly by them.

"I don't know what I am going to do but I am certainly considering closing my account."

A spokesman for the building society said: "We would not put this in terms of best or worst customers.

"Somebody with £100 in an instant access account which is never used makes the society no money. I am not sure that is news to anyone."

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