AN 86-year-old with dementia was left unfed and lying in her own excrement after social services repeatedly failed to visit her, it is claimed.

Joan Shelley, of Burnham, was supposed to have been visited by Essex County Council carers four days a week after being released from Broomfield Hospital on New Year’s Day.

But her son Simon claims no one visited her between January 3, when the care at home package was due to begin, and January 21.

Mrs Shelley, of Park Road, received a second visit last before having to be readmitted to Broomfield last Friday.

Simon described the care she had received as “diabolical”.

He said she has been left lying in her own excrement and had lost weight. He said: “Nothing happened until last week. They went in one day and did nothing except clean her teeth. She hasn’t been bathed for nearly a week.

“She normally goes to Knightswood Day Centre in Southminster three days a week but she can’t go as she is too ill.

“They are supposed to come out to her four days a week and as she hasn’t been going to the day centre she has had nothing.

“People shouldn’t have to go through all this.”

Mrs Shelley was initially assessed for care at home by the county council last summer.

At the start of December, she was admitted to Broomfield after fears she had suffered a heart attack.

Mrs Shelley was forced to spend Christmas in hospital after social services failed to find appropriate care for her to receive at home.

She was discharged on New Year’s Day and her care at home was expected to begin on January 3.

Simon, who lives in Yorkshire and is unable to help his parents due to work, has written to MP John Whittingdale in a bid to get answers.

Mrs Shelley’s husband Tom is 98 and is unable to care for her himself. She has since returned to Broomfield Hospital.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “We are currently investigating the concerns raised, although we are unable to comment further on individual cases.

“We take these concerns very seriously. The safety and welfare of vulnerable people is of utmost importance to us and we want to assure the family that concerns like this will not reoccur.”