Customers of Northern Rock ignored the attempt at reassurance from the company’s chief executive on Friday and embarked on a very British bank run.

A queue of 11 people had formed before 9am at the City of London branch, barely 100m from the Bank of England in London’s financial district where Thursday night’s lifeline was agreed. In a pattern mirrored across the country, they waited patiently, accepted there was no need to panic – but said they were withdrawing their money just in case.