Shock over 'strangling' tax letter

The letter came from the Inland Revenue

A woman who contacted the Inland Revenue for help was stunned when officials wrote back calling her 'Mrs Deserves-Strangling'.

Michelle Stradling, of Yate, South Gloucestershire, called an automated phone line to ask for advice about children's tax credits.

After listening to the recorded message, she left her name and address and requested some information.

But the 29-year-old mother was shocked when the pack arrived on her doorstep days later - addressed to "Mrs Michelle Deserves-Strangling".

Double take

Mrs Stradling said: "I did a double take. I thought someone must have have misspelt my name.

"It is terrible. If someone from a violent relationship got this, it would set them back.

"The Inland Revenue has apologised, and asked me to send it back.

"They say they will launch an investigation, and the person responsible would be reprimanded."

A spokesman for the Inland Revenue said the culprit would be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Earlier this year Pravin Patel from Gloucester was stunned to receive a letter from reward card company Nectar in which his name had been replaced with a racist insult.