The former sub-postmaster of Hawkshead Post Office has shared how he had a 'nervous breakdown' after being accused of wrongdoing.

Tony Downey, 56, was alleged to have stolen £35,000 by the Post Office due to false figures shown by the faulty Horizon system.

Following the ITV drama 'Mr Bates vs the Post Office', Mr Downey described how he was forced into bankruptcy after being made to repay the non-existent shortfalls.

He said: "We were so embarrassed, we all felt failures, especially myself, and I blamed my myself for everything.

"I then had a nervous breakdown and could not really deal with much."

The Mail: Tony was involved at a previous enquiry about the scandalTony was involved at a previous enquiry about the scandal (Image: Tony Downey)

Mr Downey  had originally bought the Hawkshead branch in 2001 for £80,000 but was made to sell the business - and his home - to cope with the bankruptcy.

He, his wife Caroline and their daughter were left with no option but to leave the country, arriving in France before moving to Spain to be nearer to family.

"Our daughter was born in Cumbria, brought up in Hawkshead and went to Hawkshead Primary school but we had to take her away from her life and friends at ten years old," Mr Downey explained.

"People in our area assumed we had stolen money and our name was rotten - I just want the chance to let the people of Hawkshead know that it was not me that failed them, but the post office."

The Mail: Tony and his family before they were forced to moveTony and his family before they were forced to move (Image: Tony Downey)

Mr Downey said he was grateful for the fact that renewed media attention is allowing former sub-postmasters like himself to share their stories.

"There are almost 4000 sub-postmasters now in various schemes and the media attention has enabled more to come forward and realise it was not just them," he said.

"I think the media have seen the stripping of medals and blaming politicians as the news, but it's also the boost groups have needed whilst they've been campaigning for change."

While he accepted that compensation would be a big help, he recognised it might never be enough.

"The reality is that it's not possible for the post office to put us back in the positions we were in previously because the compensation fees aren't high enough," he said.

"In some cases the post office is offering £5,000 for the distress."

For Mr Downey, his aspirations revolved around once again being able to 'hold his head high'.

"I would love my business back and my home in the Lake District," he said.

"But that will never happen and I will never be put back to where I should have been."