Motorists have complained to Tesco bosses after a Winchester petrol station shut while they were filling their cars

Customers said they were left out of pocket after Tesco Extra station, in Winchester, was shut down by company chiefs last Wednesday evening.

Electronic pay stations switched off at around 6.30pm with some still refuelling.

Ten fed-up drivers waited in store for almost an hour while staff scrambled to keep traffic off the forecourt.

One customer, who asked not to be named, said the “chaos” left him short-changed.

He said: “The pumps were working incorrectly when they finally came back on, and I don't think I got £11 worth of fuel.

“A few people including myself had filled up with fuel. We were being charged more for what we received once the pumps switched back on.

“Most customers were on their way home from work at the time and were very annoyed about the situation. They are clearly trying to cover it up.”

A Tesco spokesman did not reveal the cause of the closure and denied that it was ordered by head office.

He said: “We had a small issue with some of our pumps but had our forecourt reopened for customers within an hour. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.”