A pensioner recovering from major surgery was transferred more than 40 miles to another hospital because there was no room in intensive care.

Joyce Hilton,73, underwent a seven hour bowel operation at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, but a shortage of specialist care beds meant she was then sent to the Conquest Hospital, in Hastings.

Her son Malcolm Burstow, a Sussex Police dog handler, is furious his ill mother was moved so soon after her operation.

He said: "She has had major surgery in the past with a triple heart bypass operation and is obviously not strong but she still had to travel all that way.

"The staff at Hastings were on the phone every day to see if she could be sent back to Brighton so she was nearer home but there was never enough space for her.

"In the end she was discharged from there and had to make another long journey back by car which could not have been good for her."

Mr Burstow and his wife Denise care for Mrs Hilton at their home in Mile Oak, near Hove.

She became ill and was taken to hospital on December 22, where she had an emergency operation overnight.

Mr Burstow said: "I have nothing against the way she was treated by nurses and doctors, they have all been excellent, but we shouldn't be faced with a situation like this.

"It has been an extra strain and worry for us all, especially with the long car journey to go and visit my mother. It was a round trip of more than 80 miles.

"In a place as large as Brighton you would think very ill patients could be treated in one place instead of having to be moved around."

Brighton Health Care NHS Trust spokesman Ian Keeber said the trust was sorry Mrs Hilton had to be moved and said the trust was working to increase the number of intensive care beds at the Royal Sussex.

Mr Keeber said: "When the demand for beds becomes very high then we have no choice but to find another hospital.

"It is regrettable and we hope Mrs Hilton makes a full recovery soon."