A reflexologist who is fund-raising in memory of her baby granddaughter is being hampered by faulty telephone lines.

Carol Clift is supporting Jeans for Genes this month in memory of 11-month-old Lauren who died in June from a genetic disorder.

She is donating the cost of every reflexology treatment she does during October to the charity.

Mrs Clift, 55, relies on her landline for people to make telephone bookings but the lines are down.

Holiday Mrs Clift, of Rye Farm Lane, Barns Green, near Horsham, said the lines will have been down for at least a week by the time they are reconnected.

She said: "I came back from holiday to find the phone lines down and they are not going to be fixed until the end of this week.

"Calls are being put through to my 1571 answerphone but I can't access those.

"I'm so worried people won't be able to get hold of me and I won't be able to carry out sessions and raise the money that I want.

"My granddaughter died of a syndrome which was genetic so I want to be able to do what I can to help charities which deal with that."

Mrs Clift said telephone lines to 200 homes had been affected and it was the third time since July her connection had gone down.

She paid £500 earlier this year to have a tree felled when BT thought it was the reason for the problems.

A spokeswoman for BT said the latest faults had been caused by flooding which had damaged underground cables.

She said: "We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and will work as quickly as we can to restore the service."

Workmen are due to start repair work today.

Mrs Clift normally charges £25 an hour for reflexology but has reduced that to £15 this month and will be giving the whole fee to the Jeans for Genes appeal.

Lauren died from Turner syndrome and other complications.

Turner syndrome is a condition affecting the female sex chromosome and causes infertility and stunted growth.

Jeans for Genes raises money for research into the causes and treatments of genetic disorders which affect children and offers help to their families.

This year the appeal has chosen the Turner Syndrome Support Society as one of ten groups it will give money.

Anyone who would like to support Mrs Clift can call her on 07831 510172 or visit www.putyourfeetup.net Further information on Jeans for Genes is available at www.jeansforgenes.com