A Wisconsin man smashed up a computer in the shop where he bought it after taking it back five times in three months.

In a scene reminiscent of Fawlty Towers, the man 'punished' his PC in the shop by hitting it with a sledgehammer.

Bemused spectators in the town of Grand Chute said that the man, who had complained earlier that he had problems with the computer's hard drive, sound and CD drive, repeatedly pummelled the central processing unit with the hammer.

He then told other customers and staff to have a good day before leaving the wreckage of the PC in the shop.

Collared by his local newspaper the 51 year-old man said that he had taken the computer back to the shop more than five times in three months but had been unable to get the store to fix it properly.

"I wonder how many people are out there complaining and not getting service. It feels good in a way," he said.

The manager of the shop refused to comment. Police arrested the man and charged him with disorderly conduct.