Woman, 78, left without toilet for two months

A woman said she was left feeling "frustrated" and "invisible" after not having a toilet which flushed for two months.

Jane Camfield, 78, from Letchworth, Hertfordshire, first reported the problem to her housing association landlord on 17 February, and was later told the toilet was corroded and beyond repair.

But despite weekly phone calls to check on the replacement, she said she was left to "wait and wait" and had to clear the toilet using buckets of water.

A spokesperson for Sanctuary, which has now replaced the toilet, said: "It is clear we have fallen short of the high service standards we expect in this case and we have spoken to Mrs Camfield to apologise for the frustration and disruption she has been caused."

Mrs Camfield said she made Sanctuary aware she had arthritis, had open heart surgery and a mini-stroke.

She said she was constantly "going backwards and forwards with washing up bowls full of water to flush the toilet" and she had fallen over once.

"I don't get many visitors luckily; it is usually family and they are used to it now," she said.

Speaking ahead of the toilet being fixed, she said: "I have got to that point where I have given up. I am going through the motions but I have just given up really; where do I go from here?"

"I feel totally invisible, as if I don't exist."

Mrs Camfield said it was over a month before Sanctuary sent someone to look at the toilet.

She was told it was corroded and badly damaged, and would have to be replaced.

Two weeks later she said she was told that the money to replace the toilet had to be approved.

It was finally replaced on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: "We are committed to resolving this issue as quickly as possible and work to install a new toilet was completed today (16 April)."

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.