A woman with breast cancer had a mastectomy operation cancelled three times in two days because of bed shortages.

Katie Wilson had been due to undergo surgery at Cumberland Infirmary last Thursday after her breast cancer returned.

I was shocked and very angry

Katie Wilson

But pressure on hospital beds meant she was turned away from the operating theatre twice that day, and again the following day.

Brian Earley, director of patient access, said every effort was being made to ensure Ms Wilson's operation went ahead soon.

Mrs Wilson, from Cumwhinton near Carlisle, was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time last month.

She told BBC Radio Cumbria she was asked to phone at 1300 BST last Wednesday to check the bed was available but when she did so she was told to call back two hours later.

When she called back she was told a bed was likely to be available and took a taxi to hospital.

"[The hospital] hoped there would be a bed found later that day because hospital rounds were going on all the time and patients were being discharged," she said.

But after waiting hours, Mrs Wilson was told a bed was now not available.

'Raw emotion'

At 0730 BST the following day, her operation was postponed again when she was told she could not be fitted into the surgeon's timetable.

I would be annoyed myself...I have every sympathy with her

Brian Earley, director of patient access

"I was shocked and very angry.

I expressed my anger towards the administrator who came to talk to me, it was raw emotion.

"I felt she needed to see how I was feeling so she would have some idea of what the people who are being cancelled feel like," she said.

But Mr Earley said Mrs Wilson's case was exceptional.

"It is very unusual. We've had a large amount of emergency admissions and the consequence of that has been pressure on beds."

Personal apology

He said the hospital hoped extra temporary wards this week would ease the problem.

"I would be annoyed myself...I have every sympathy with her [Ms Wilson].

"I know we have made every effort to re-admit this patient next week and I will go along to see this lady and give her my personal apologies."

Ms Wilson spoke out about her situation as a last resort.

"Something might be done. It will raise awareness of what is going on in our local hospital and also nationwide.

"This is going on everywhere," she said.