A PENSIONER is facing holiday heartbreak after her chronic asthma put a halt to her travel plans.

Dorothy Smith, 67, has been told she cannot take an oxygen supply on the 12-hour bus journey on her annual visit to the Isle of Wight with her daughter.

After being hospitalised three times this year because of her illness, Mrs Smith has oxygen piped into her home in Shildon, which she must use for up to 16 hours a day.

She has had to cancel the week-long August holiday, which she had booked with her daughter, Audrey Simpson, through the Wallace Arnold travel company.

But Mrs Smith says the rules barring her from taking oxygen on the bus is discrimination.

"They won't allow the oxygen on the bus journey," she said. "I think it is for safety."

Mrs Smith, a widow, has suffered from progressively worsening asthma for 19 years.

"She said she had travelled with Wallace Arnold for years and the Isle of Wight was her favourite holiday destination.

A spokesman for Wallace Arnold's operations division, said last night: "We do not carry oxygen bottles on our coaches, as we can not guarantee their safe passage in the luggage compartment.

"We are sorry Mrs Smith's current personal circumstances were not appreciated when the travel agent made the booking. If there is no way she can manage the journey without oxygen, we would be happy to refund her deposit and are sincerely sorry we are unable to welcome her on holiday."