A patient who says she suffered agonising pain while undergoing an ear operation without the necessary anaesthetic has launched a formal complaint with the trust that runs Slough's Wexham Park Hospital.

Lotte Harrison, 33, who lives in Cippenham, was referred to the Slough hospital's ENT department because of hearing loss in her left ear.

She was told she needed a tiny tube called a grommet to be inserted in her ear - which would be painless as an expanding foam would be used to numb her inner ear.

After a four month wait she kept her hospital appointment but says she was told that they did not have the 'foam' she had been told about and that the operation would be done under a 'normal anaesthetic'.

She said the surgeon who performed the operation openly expressed concern, admitting he would never have recommended it be done under a local anaesthetic.

She said: "He requested that a nurse hold my hand and wipe away my tears as I began to be in so much pain that I had begun to cry uncontrollably. In between each step of the operation the surgeon continued to apologise again and again, while stating he shouldn't be performing the surgery under these conditions and he was 'so sorry for causing so much pain'."

Ms Harison is registered as disabled due to epilepsy and is guardian to three children.

She said: "The pain and stress of the situation has caused my seizure rate to increase which has obviously affected both my work and home life and increased the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) significantly.

"My ear is still hurting periodically and I no longer have any hearing in it."

A statement from Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust which runs Wexham Park Hospital said: "We can confirm that we have received a formal complaint from Charlotte Harrison. We were sorry to hear her concerns about her experience and thank her for giving us the opportunity to review her care.

"A full investigation into the matter has been carried out in line with trust policy and we will be sharing the findings with her in a formal written response."