A woman has been waiting three-and-a-half years to be treated for the "death sentence" of hepatitis C.

Brenda Binge, 57, has seen a doctor once and a nurse twice since being diagnosed with the blood-borne virus which infects the liver.

She was finally given an ultrasound at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton last month after a series of appointments were cancelled.

But she is still waiting to be put on a course of treatment for the virus, which can cause liver cancer or serious liver damage.

She has been forced to give up work, first as a hotelier and then as an administration assistant at Mid Sussex Magistrates Court, because of severe fatigue caused by her condition.

Mrs Binge, of Broad Street, Cuckfield, is now campaigning for the Government to put more money into treating the disease. She also wants to set up a group for hepatitis C sufferers in Sussex after a concern over the lack of local support.

Mrs Binge, a Mid Sussex district councillor, is one of an estimated 200,000 people across the country infected by what hepatitis C campaigners call a "silent epidemic".

She was first diagnosed after seeing a doctor in August 2000, having injured her leg falling down stairs while living in Bath.

She said: "I had a blood test and that revealed I had hepatitis C. It came as a terrible shock.

"I didn't know much about it but soon found out how serious it could become. These toxins are poisoning me inside and there is a 50-50 chance the virus could kill me if and when it becomes fully active. It is very distressing to have a kind of death sentence like that over me."

She was referred to the Royal Sussex after moving to Cuckfield in late 2001 but had to wait until last October for her first doctor's appointment after seeing a nurse.

However, that date was cancelled with a week's notice and a second appointment in November was also called off due to staff sickness at the hospital.

She had an ultrasound test last month but is still waiting to hear the results and when she can expect to start treatment.

Mrs Binge said: "It was only after constant badgering that I got the appointments.

"Treating hepatitis C seems to be a very under-staffed and under-resourced area of healthcare."

Mrs Binge believes she contracted the virus through a blood transfusion.

A spokesman for the Royal Sussex was unable to comment on the specifics of Mrs Binge's case or the cancelled appointments.

He said: "If she wants to discuss it further with us she can contact our patients' advocacy forum or the complaints service so we can investigate in more detail. Or she could go back to her GP to see if we can bring her appointment any nearer."

Anyone wanting to contact Mrs Binge about joining a support group can call her on 01444 443633.