A pensioner has had to borrow cash after being sent electricity bills for more than £2,000.

Power supplier British Gas said poorly calculated estimates were to blame.

It promised Irene Leigh, 69, just £20 in compensation for the shock.

Ms Leigh, who lives alone at her flat in York Road, Hove, said: "I know bills have gone up a lot over recent months but this is ridiculous.

"I shouldn't have to go through all this.

"It's frightening and making me ill.

"I can't sleep for worry."

After paying her bills in full and on time for 23 years Ms Leigh said she couldn't believe it when a demand for £1,291 landed on her mat in February.

Until then, her bills had been around £60.

She said: "I felt sick. I thought it had to be a joke but when I phoned them up they were deadly serious.

"They said it was a catch-up bill because up until then all my bills for the last three years had been estimates."

Southern Housing, which owns Ms Leigh's flat, organised an independent assessor to check her appliances and he gave them a clean bill of health.

But after receiving threats to disconnect her supply the pensioner said she had no choice but to try to pay off the mounting debt.

She said: "The engineer said there's nothing wrong with the flat so it must be the meter - what else can it be?

"But in the meantime I'm suffering.

"People say don't worry but do they think I've got a money tree outside? British Gas shouldn't have allowed this to go on. It's absolutely horrible.

"It's making my eczema worse and my walking has suffered."

But after being forced to borrow £500 from a friend to help pay the original bill Ms Leigh said fresh demands were still coming through.

On Saturday she received another bill for £889.

She said: "I had to do something because in May they said I was going to be disconnected - even after I'd put more than £600 in they were still sending me threatening letters.

"But if it goes on like this I'll owe £20,000 by the end of the year.

"I practically live in the one room. How could I be using all this electricity?"

British Gas arranged for a second inspector to take away her meter for testing last Friday.

But after he failed to keep the appointment they offered her a cheque for £20.

Sian Callaghan, of the electricity supplier, said: "I am very sorry that Ms Leigh has been so concerned about her high bills.

"We do urge all customers who receive estimated bills to read their meters themselves and let us know if there is a difference to make sure the bills we provide them are accurate."

The company said Ms Leigh's meter will be removed for independent testing on Friday and in the meantime they will stop issuing further bills.

Last month British Gas said it would increase gas bills by 12.4 per cent and electricity bills by 9.4 per cent from September 4, the eleventh rise by a major supplier this year.