A woman who had 73 different carers in just four months fears her situation may get even worse if proposed social services cuts go ahead.

Complications following breast cancer treatment mean Esther Belton, has been unable to live without the support of carers for the past four years.

Miss Belton, 51, of Boston Avenue, Rayleigh, has spent much of that time in hospital, or a care home.

But when she finally moved to a home of her own last summer, her problems really started.

After being promised support from carers trained to know her exact needs, she was sent a string of strange carers from private agencies.

Between May and August last year, agencies paid by Essex County Council's social services department sent a staggering 73 different people.

She complained bitterly and as a result, officials allocated more experienced carers employed directly by council - a distinct improvement, she said.

Now these carers are facing redundancy, as the council plans to farm all its work to agencies to save money.

Miss Belton can only walk a few steps and needs help with washing, dressing and many other everyday tasks.

The return to agency carers is something she is dreading.

"My treatment isn't rocket science, but it is complex, and incredibly intrusive and personal," she explained.

"It has to be done right or I start getting hurt.

"One of the agency managers guaranteed me it would train ten people to care for me, so that nobody else would be sent."

Six weeks later, a succession of strangers started coming to her door.

"Some of them weren't even saying hello or goodbye to me," she added. "One girl turned around and said to me she didn't get paid enough to care.

"Social services carers listen. They are kind and nothing is ever too much trouble. I can't believe the council is getting rid of these girls.

"What is going to happen to us when the agencies are so useless?"

In 2002, Miss Belton was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a full mastectomy and recovered from the cancer, only to develop a rare and devastating side-effect from the operation, called lymphoedema.

The condition causes excessive swelling. It usually only affects the limbs, but in Miss Belton's case, it attacked her whole body.

Her situation was made worse by the fact she was misdiagnosed because she was so overweight, due to comfort-eating.

She spent months in hospital and was eventually discharged to an old people's home, despite her relative youth, because she needed such constant support.

Last May, she went to live in Rayleigh, which was when the problems with carers started.

Miss Belton says her condition often makes her feel she is a burden.

She said: "I've lost my family home. I've lost my self-worth and my dignity.

"But I can either lie here and give up and die - or I can fight this thing.

"If I die, they have won. I'm not going to let those buggers beat me!"

l Miss Belton has now made an official complaint, which may end up before the Local Government Ombudsman.