A TRANSSEXUAL who saved £5,000 for a sex-change operation is claiming a victory in a battle over bank charges.

Catrina Day - who was born a man - will travel to Brussels for the four-hour "gender reassignment" operation in May.

But when she discovered "hidden" bank charges and delays in ordering Belgian currency for the operation, she decided to take her protest to the streets.

Armed with a placard, she marched up and down outside the Royal Bank of Scotland on The Rock, for two hours with a sign declaring: "The Royal Bank of Scotland - the bank that likes to charge when you're in the black and doesn't know its own foreign exchange policy!"

Twice-married Catrina (43) is described as "female" on all personal documents apart from her birth certificate, and already boasts womanly curves, thanks to female hormone drugs.

She made her mind up to have the operation two years ago and already has her hair done twice a week, with regular electrolysis and leg waxing sessions.

Said Catrina, who lives in James Street, Bury: "Four weeks ago I paid for £5,000 worth of Belgium francs, some of which I wanted in a cheque to send to my surgeon."

But when she went to collect the money two days ago, she was told that the Belgium francs would first have to be converted back into sterling, and then converted into a cheque.

Said Catrina: "I had to pay about £14 for a bankers draft and would have lost out on difference between the buying rate and the selling rate of the foreign currency."

Eventually embarrassed bank staff issued Catrina with her cheque.

"I'm really pleased," says Catrina. "It just shows what a bit of public protest can do."

The bank said they could not discuss individual cases.

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