Darent Valley Hospital has apologised after a patient was wrongly recalled just two weeks after having a cancer check.

Lisa Waterman, 47, was terrified that the second appointment meant the cancer she had beaten four years earlier had returned.

But just as she was about to undergo a general anaesthetic, staff realised the blunder and the procedure was halted.

She received the call two weeks after she underwent an endoscopy after suffering from intense stomach pain for a year.

The procedure is normally done under local anaesthetic but because of an allergy she has to have a general anaesthetic.

The mistake left Mrs Waterman, of Hillhouse Road, Stone, furious after she took time off work to return to hospital, while her family feared for her health.

Mrs Waterman arrived at the hospital and filled out a number of forms before she was told of the error while she waited in the surgical ward.

She says the mix-up has left her “distraught” and blasted health bosses for putting her family through hell.

Four years ago, Mrs Waterman underwent a radical hysterectomy when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and believed it had returned when she was summoned back to hospital.

It comes after a new study by Macmillan Cancer Support revealed this week UK survival rates are 10 years behind many European countries.

Mrs Waterman said: “When I got that phone call, I thought the cancer had returned and that I might only have weeks to live.

“My children were crying and my husband was stressed out and I thought ‘Here we go again’.

“On the day I said to the staff: ‘Are you sure I need this?’ because I had the same operation a couple of weeks before.

“I was in disbelief. How can they make that mistake with all that technology? It is unreal to put someone through that torment. I was distraught. When I told my husband he went absolutely mental.”

The hospital’s chief executive Susan Acott wrote to apologise for the error, which was caused by a “breakdown in communications” and a failure to investigate by theatre scheduling staff when concerns surfaced.

A spokesman said: “We have offered our sincere apologies to Mrs Waterman for the unfortunate event that resulted in her being booked for the same procedure twice.

“We have fully investigated Mrs Waterman’s subsequent complaint and explained how a breakdown in communication lead to the confusion around the scheduling of her surgery. The mistake was identified when Mrs Waterman arrived.”

“When I got that phone call, I thought the cancer had returned and that I might only have weeks to live" - Lisa Waterman

But Mrs Waterman has demanded the hospital make amends by compensating her for taking two days off work unnecessarily for the operation. She says she lost nearly £400.

Mrs Waterman added: “Because I took two days off on the day I was told I needed surgery and the next day I’ve lost quite a lot of money due to their mistake.

“I’m still reeling at the thought they could have operated on me when they didn’t need to.”

The hospital spokesman said no compensation was available through the complaints department but added Mrs Waterman had been advised to seek legal advice.