A TERMINAL cancer sufferer feels she has lost her lifeline because trees outside her house are interfering with her television signal.

Jean Alderson, 80 and from Stainton Grove, near Barnard Castle, says her reception is so poor she now goes to bed early instead of putting up with the problem.

Mrs Alderson, who is housebound and battling lung cancer, raised the issue with Durham County Council more than a year ago.

Despite numerous phone calls to the authority, she is still waiting for action to be taken.

Three TV repair companies have tried to rectify the problem, without success, and one receipt from last August cites the trees as the cause of the poor signal.

Mrs Alderson said: “I have had to pay for each one and the last one was £82.

“They all said it is nothing to do with the aerial, it is the trees interfering with the signal.

“I am sick of the whole thing. I’m not asking for the council to cut the trees down, I just want them cut back.

“If it’s bad weather I can’t and that’s when I can’t get any signal. I have been going to bed really early because there is nothing else for me to do.

“It is upsetting. The television is my lifeline.”

Oliver Sherratt, the council’s head of direct services, said: “We are very sorry to hear about Mrs Alderson’s personal circumstances.

“The land in question is owned by Teesdale Housing and we will be bringing this matter up with them.

“This includes the possibility for some works to be undertaken in the interests of good tree management that might improve television reception.”