Three-year-old Ruby Naldrett is suffering months of agony because of a shortage of disposable surgical instruments.

She is one of hundreds of Sussex children whose operations to remove their tonsils have been postponed.

Her mother Linzi, who has spent night after night nursing her daughter, is even prepared to give the NHS the £150 needed to pay for the instruments.

However, the crisis has nothing to do with money.

The theoretical risk of contracting the human form of mad cow disease through the tonsils has forced hospitals to ban the use of reusable instruments.

Only disposable equipment sterilised to the highest standards is now acceptable. The sudden, huge demand for the instruments has led to a shortage.

It is no consolation for Ruby, who has suffered for more than 18 months and was due to have her operation at Southlands Hospital, Shoreham, last month.

Her mother said: "We were first told the delay would be a couple of weeks, then until April and now June.

"Ruby has had about 15 bouts of tonsillitis and we have spent numerous nights without sleep and with Ruby in tears. I'm desperate to relieve her pain and suffering."

Miss Naldrett, 30, who lives with Ruby in Shoreham, said she was willing to pay for the cost of new instruments if it would mean her daughter's operation could be brought forward.

Ruby's grandmother, Sheila Naldrett, who lives in Pulborough, frequently has to travel to Shoreham to care for her granddaughter to enable Miss Naldrett to keep her job in Brighton.

She said: "I think this delay is terrible. It makes you think you are living in a Third World country."

Hundreds of other Sussex children will also have to wait for their routine tonsil operations.

Worthing and Southlands NHS Trust has had to put 50 operations on hold.

A spokeswoman said: "This is a national situation which unfortunately has led to people having to have their operations cancelled or postponed.

"We are doing everything we can to speed things up but we have to wait until we can get the proper equipment we need."

Brighton Health Care NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children, has also suspended dozens of operations.

A spokesman said: "It is not an issue of not having the money to pay for the operations. The money is there and ready to be used.

"It is a case of the supplies we need not being available."

NHS Supplies Agency, which produces the equipment needed, has been overwhelmed by demand and is working round the clock to get the instruments out.

It is likely to be at least another two to three months before things are back to normal.