HSBC bank faced an internet security scare today when a hacker defaced several of its website pages.

The hacker broke into the bank's British home page and posted a picture of prime minister Tony Blair and a message in support of the recent fuel protests.

Sites in Spain and Greece were also affected.

The hacker, who identified himself as Herbless, has been behind a string of similar recent attacks on websites - including several local government agency sites and Legoland.co.uk.

A spokesman for HSBC described the breach as "an embarrassment", but added that the hacker did not have access to customers' records.

He said that the violated website was maintained by a third-party company that he refused to name.

"We are talking actively to that third party supplier about what has happened and how it has come about," he said.

Online banking services, where customers can make transactions and access their accounts, are maintained by HSBC internally.

"No transaction data has been affected. But it is an embarrassment and a nuisance and obviously we will try and take care that it does not happen again," he said.