A disabled pensioner whose home was plagued by bugs was told to catch them herself in a jar if she wanted a council to destroy them.

Patricia Henderson was made to scramble on her hands and knees so she could identify the insects, even though she can hardly walk.

She said Brighton and Hove City Council told her its officers would only come to see her if she could tell them if the bugs were fleas or cockroaches.

Ms Henderson, 62, had to try to swat the flies in a bid to persuade council officers to help her.

She was told she would have to put the creepy crawlies in a jar and take them to her local rent office for identification.

She said she was expected to drag herself about even though she suffers from severe arthritis in the vertebrate and both legs and finds it virtually impossible to bend down.

She said: "I'm disgusted about the way I have been treated.

"I think they were fleas or flying ants, but I have no idea. All I know is that they are lightning fast and I had no chance of getting them.

"I can't even catch a bus let alone one of those things. I tried to getting on the floor, but once I kneel down I find it very difficult to get up.

"I can only move with a walking stick after having blood clots in my leg."

The insect problem started last Friday (Aug 23) as Ms Henderson was watching television and noticed insects landing on her body.

Ms Henderson, who lives in a council house on Sullington Close, Moulsecoomb, said: "One landed on my hand and then another on my arm.

"I didn't think anything more about it, until I looked round and saw there were quite a few on the sofa and in the air.

"I vacuumed all the furniture and cleaned the cushions, but it didn't seem to make any difference.

"I even went to the chemist to buy some special shampoo as I was scared to death that they would get in my hair.

"As we are all elderly where I live, we look after each other, so I got a neighbour to get some ant spray and flea repellent as I wasn't sure what they were.

"That didn't seem to work, so I phoned the Pest Control on Monday (Aug 26).

"He suggested I should catch the bugs myself if I couldn't identify them.

"He said that if they were not fleas, they weren't the Pest Control's problem. He then suggested I put the insects in a jam jar and take them down to my local rent office for them to be identified.

"I was disgusted. I said, 'That is a great help', and put the phone down. I couldn't believe my ears, but I tried it anyway.

"I find it difficult to move and it was impossible.

"Even my neighbour had a go and he is a lot more mobile than me, and he said it was a waste of time.

"I have written to Councillor Francis Tonks, who is my local councillor, to express my disgust. The council doesn't seem to care."

Yesterday, Brighton and Hove City Council officials finally went round to see Ms Henderson.

A spokeswoman said: "A pest control officer will be contacting Ms Henderson shortly to deal with this problem.

"A neighbourhood officer has visited the tenant this afternoon to offer advice and help about the insect problem so that this matter can be rectified as soon as possible.

"As a general rule it is the homeowner or the tenant's responsibility to deal with pests on the premises but our pest control officers are always willing to offer advice on treatment and charges if required."