NHS staff told someone suffering from a serious asthma attack they had no idea if there was a hospital in Sussex - and to go outside and ask a cab driver.

Peter Kelly, 31, from Wimbledon, south London, was visiting Brighton with his girlfriend when he was taken ill.

Hoping the attack was not life-threatening, the couple decided not to call out an ambulance and rang the NHS Direct hotline from their hotel room.

But the operator said there was no way of knowing if there was a hospital nearby because Mr Kelly did not have the postcode of the Budgies Guest House in Madeira Drive.

He said: "I was officially told to go outside and hail a local cab because NHS Direct had no idea if there was a hospital in the Sussex area and said hopefully a cabbie might know'.

"It was pretty scary. I couldn't breath so it was quite frightening.

"They were just fumbling around while I was in great pain.

"They kept on insisting they had no idea about health services in Brighton as they were based in Bristol. It was like a case of dumb and dumber'."

As Mr Kelly struggled for breath, his girlfriend tried to find a receptionist who would know the postcode.

However, it was 11.30pm and no one was available.

NHS Direct told Mr Kelly they were not expected to know of hospitals in the Sussex area as it was "far from Bristol".

Mr Kelly, a journalist, said the couple then asked to speak with a supervisor, who confirmed the policy.

Mr Kelly said: "It became disturbingly farcical.

"I asked if they had internet access and they said yes but they wouldn't check for a hospital in Brighton.

"The supervisor finally and reluctantly went to an internet search engine and gave me a number. It was completely the wrong one."

Finally the couple took the emergency phoneline's advice and went outside to flag down a taxi.

The driver took them to the casualty ward at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where Mr Kelly was placed on an emergency nebuliser.

Mr Kelly said: "What does this say about the professionalism and competence of NHS Direct staff and policy?

"Medical professionals have recommended I never call it again and to urge others to avoid it at all costs.

"My life was in danger but their persistent priority was ludicrously elsewhere.

"Lives will be lost if this continues."

Mr Kelly has since lodged a formal complaint with the NHS and his MP following the incident last Tuesday.

A spokesman for NHS Direct said: "This was not an emergency situation requiring emergency care.

"In the normal course of events, we do need a postcode for NHS Direct to provide accurate information about local services."