A patient has spoken out about dirty wards and toilets at Colchester General Hospital.

She was admitted to Brightlingsea ward on Friday after suffering a severe nosebleed and haemorrhaging.

The woman, who was in for two days, said she witnessed nurses not using the provided hand wipes and failing to clean up properly.

She said: "I was shocked - the hygiene levels were absolutely appalling.

"None of the nurses seemed to be using the handwash provided on the beds and they seemed to be cleaning the beds between patients using baby bubble bath.

"After dealing with an incontinent patient, they washed their hands with water and didn't even clean the floor properly.

"That was left to the cleaner the next morning who used the same mop to clean the whole ward - I dread to think what was in her bucket."

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said she had recently stayed at the specialist heart unit at Basildon Hospital and found the cleanliness there to be excellent.

A spokesman for Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said: "We are sorry to hear that this anonymous caller is not satisfied and would urge her to contact our complaints department so we can look into this matter properly and, if appropriate, learn lessons for the future.

"Reducing the incidence of healthcare associated infections is a key priority for the Trust and the improvements we have made in this area were commended by NHS East of England only last week.

"Our infection control standards were also praised by the Healthcare Commission, an independent watchdog, following an unannounced hygiene inspection last August.

"Results of the 2007 national inpatient survey shows our patients feel the standard of cleanliness in our hospital is rising, all of which is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our staff."