The chairwoman of a pensioners' organisation has written to trading standards officers in a row over her conference hotel bill.

Dorothy Runnicles has also written to the tourism board over what she has called her "bizarre" experience in the Queens Hotel, Kings Road, Brighton.

Mrs Runnicles, 76, a retired lecturer, was in Brighton to attend a two-day conference on Better Government for Older People at the Brighton Centre.

Mrs Runnicles - chairwoman of the east region of the Better Government for Older People Committee, - booked into the hotel for two nights.

When she spotted a banner on the front of the building offering "£30 per night, per person - free breakfast, free health suite, free movies", she said she asked to book for another night.

Partially disabled Mrs Runnicles, of Cambridge, said: "Having checked the price and finding my room available, I contracted to pay £30 for the extra night."

She went up to her room on the last evening, ready for an early start in the morning.

She said: "At about 9.20pm, I heard a knock on the door, which was the duty manager, informing me I had to pay the full rate for the room and that the offer did not apply, except for double bookings."

Mrs Runnicles said the duty manager returned at 10.15pm to tell her she had to pay an extra £30.

She said: "He said, 'If you won't pay up, you will have to leave.' I was in my nightshirt. I had no intention of leaving."

Mrs Runnicles has contacted the Better Government, the AA, Brighton and Hove City Council Trading Standards and the East Sussex Tourist Board.

However, Alison McGrady, general manager at the hotel, said her staff did not harass Mrs Runnicles and many of the group of 90 who decided to stay the extra night at the hotel were happy to pay the £60, as they were already receiving a heavy discount.

The usual price for the deluxe sea view rooms with en suite facilities was £150.

She said the special offer was for allocated rooms, for two sharing and staying for three or more nights.

She said they had approached Mrs Runnicles in the afternoon.

She said the pensioner stayed and left the hotel with the £30 outstanding but the management decided not to pursue her and did not want to become involved in an argument.

She said the organiser for the group had thanked her for the service at the hotel and Mrs Runnicles appeared to be the only client who was unhappy.