A care worker at the centre of a scandal over the treatment of elderly patients in Sussex has been sacked.

The worker, who only wishes to be known as Lynda, was filmed by an undercover reporter making derogatory comments about the elderly people she cared for.

She has received death threats and abusive phone calls since the BBC's Panorama programme was broadcast on Sunday.

The damning expos of social services in Sussex uncovered the practices of two care agencies contracted to Brighton and Hove City Council.

The council has since suspended its contract with Anchor Care, one of the agencies featured.

Undercover reporter Fran Baker was able to work for the companies using a fake CV.

She was given just a few hours of training before being sent out alone to care for elderly people.

She was initially told she would be given training over a six-week period but was only offered an hour and 20 minutes.

Baker shadowed Lynda who took her to see four clients.

Lynda, 39, who has three children, was secretly filmed describing one elderly man as an "arsehole" and another woman as "an absolute waste of time", while she carried out house calls.

Yesterday, employers Medichoice in Portland Road, Hove, sacked her for gross misconduct.

Lynda, who has worked for the firm for three years, said: "They made me look like the villain of the piece.

"I was on call over the weekend and had three abusive phone calls, one from someone who said they wished they could kill me. I feel so hard done by.

"The programme was very cleverly edited and my comments were taken out of context.

"If social services had investigated this further, they would have realised the care I gave to these people was first-class and in no way derogatory."

Lynda said her comments were intended to put the new care worker, who she did not know was a reporter, at ease.

Katherine Conradi, managing partner of Medichoice, said Lynda was sacked because of her inappropriate language and because she bragged about being able to finish jobs earlier than required.

She said: "Brighton and Hove social services said the issue is not with the standard of the care we provide but with a particular member of staff who let the side down."

Medichoice and Anchor are paid by the council to provide care for 150 elderly people across the city.

The council has already taken action against Anchor in Western Road, Hove, by suspending its contract, meaning it will make no new referrals to the company. Medichoice's contract is under review.