Consumers who receive updates on their current account movements via text message may find it easier to avoid going into the red, according to one bank.

First Direct, a division of HSBC, offers its customers the option to have alerts sent to their mobile phone which allows them to track their current account in real time.

The bank claims that nearly a third of its customers use the facility and it sends around 2.6 million SMS messages every month.

Spokesperson Rob Skinner explained that the service is useful to customers because "people can be alerted when they are likely to be going into the red".

"It helps them manage their money a little better, particularly when they are living busy lives," he explained, adding: "The mobile phone is something which we carry around with us, it's almost a remote control for our lives."

The Financial Ombudsman Service recently reported that UK consumers using online banking facilities had "very few complaints", with the body typically receiving less than 50 referrals a year.

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