A single mother is furious after her operation was cancelled less than 24 hours before it was due to take place.

Dee Trickey, 43, had was meant to have a rib removed at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, yesterday(WEDS) morning.

But on Tuesday at 4.50pm she received a phone call saying her operation had been cancelled by the Chief Executive because there were not enough beds.

Mrs Trickey, from Preston Park, Brighton, said: "I am a single parent who has had to make arrangements so my children can be looked after and take a lot of time of work because I will need time to recuperate.

"I was given the slot for the operation less than six weeks ago but they rang me less than 24 hours before my operation and told me it was cancelled. I am furious."

Mrs Trickey, a library and work experience co-ordinator at Falmer School, Brighton, said she discovered she had a thirteenth rib at the top of her chest when a lump appeared in her neck.

Doctors decided to remove it because she is in constant pain as the rib is pressing on nerves which also means Mrs Trickey has limited movement in one of her arms.

She said: "They have so many beds but if they have too many emergencies coming in they have to deal with those first.

"They had all day to phone me. I think it's an outrage and I think they should have made provisions for something like this.

"When they are booking people in for operations they should take into account the likelihood of bed availability.

"I have been on painkillers and sleeping tablets for a while now because I cannot even lie down properly."

Last week, hospital bosses came under fire after they admitted adult to the children's ward because there were not enough beds. The move sparked anger from staff and visitors who said the hospital should be for children only.

Yesterday, a spokeswoman said there were currently 30 adults admitted to the children's ward at the Royal Alex.

A spokesman for the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "On Tuesday night the chief operations officer called and spoke to Mrs Trickey about the cancellation and yesterday we gave her two new dates.

"We are experiencing exceptional demand and having a lot of emergency admissions. Mrs Trickey was not the only one to have her operation cancelled yesterday."