A WOMAN who claims homeopathy has enabled her to carry on working at the age of 90 has been told she will no longer be given the treatment on the NHS.

Long-term osteoarthritis sufferer Marjorie Titchen, who runs the White Topps dog-friendly guest house in Southbourne, Bournemouth, plans to appeal against the decision.

Homeopathy is based on treating like with like, using very dilute tailor-made solutions to stimulate the body's natural defence mechanisms. Critics say there is no scientific evidence that it has anything more than a placebo effect, but supporters point out that it has been used with success on animals.

Mrs Titchen said: "People like me are being denied a treatment that keeps them healthy without drugs. I know this treatment works - I think I'm the living proof.

"I had expected to be in a wheelchair by now because of my osteoarthritis. I can do two or three hours work a day. I wouldn't be as mobile and as clear-minded if it hadn't been for the treatment my homeopath has been giving me for the last decade."

Dr Robert Jacobs, who practises homeopathy and Chinese medicine in Verwood, said he switched from conventional medicine with the NHS after seeing the results of complementary treatments.

"I have continued to see Mrs Titchen for the last 10 years with NHS funding and she seems to be benefiting from it," he said. "She's in her nineties and she still runs a business. She's an amazing lady. The money she saves on drugs would probably cover the homeopathy."

A spokeswoman for Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust said it had reviewed Mrs Titchen's treatment with reference to guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Effectiveness (NICE).

"The clinical evidence did not show that homeopathy treatment would continue to be an effective treatment for Mrs Titchen and we will not be continuing to support that treatment. This is not about a basic funding decision," she said.

"We would expect Mrs Titchen's GP to reassess her condition and if necessary refer her to a hospital consultant, should that be appropriate."