A shopkeeper has been forced to quit after 18 months of mysterious floods and an electric shock which almost killed her.

Roison Murphy, 44, of Hove, has had to put up with intermittent streams of water cascading down her walls since she opened dog grooming parlour Pamper Me Pets in Imperial Arcade, Brighton.

The final straw came when she switched on her lights and was thrown across the basement by a surge of electricity, shattering her shoulder.

Unable to speak or move after the shock, she was found by dog groomer Emily Mulholland an hour later.

Doctors at the Royal Sussex County Hospital said she was saved only by the rubber-soled trainers she was wearing and her false nails.

Roisin, who may need surgery, said: "There was water gushing down near the electricity box because of the leaks but I thought it would be okay. I flicked the switch and ended up on the floor on the other side of the room.

"I can remember everything. I was lying there and I couldn't move and I was thinking, please let Emily come soon. It was extremely scary. I was very lucky not to be killed."

She told The Argus she had repeatedly asked landlords, Wildmoor Properties, who took over the arcade in February, and previous landlords B2 Retail, to fix the leak but nothing had been done.

She was forced to close for two weeks in January when the electricity board pronounced the shop unsafe and she said repair works an electrician ordered the landlord to do within six weeks have still not been started.

She has been unable to get insurance after claiming three times because of the leaks.

In April she started legal proceedings against Wildmoor, which owns the North Street Quadrant, to force them to fix the problem and says she will now be seeking compensation for the accident. She has also decided to leave the shop.

Roisin said: "When I took on the shop it had just been refurbished and everything looked fine.

"The problems started last February and since then we have had about ten leaks. Sometimes the water just rains down the walls.

"Every time I asked the landlords they just blamed it on other people. The whole experience has been horrendous and I just want to get out now.

"It will be really sad to say goodbye because I built up the business from nothing and we had just started to turn a corner but I am determined not to let this get me down." Brighton and Hove City Council has ordered Wildmoor to repair the Dyke Road entrance to the arcade which is beginning to crack and could pose a danger to the public if left as it is. The Argus contacted Wildmoor and B2 Retail but neither had anyone who was available to comment.