An investigation has been launched after civil servants stopped the benefits of a cancer patient and wrote to her family telling them she had died.

Cecilia Wozny, 75, pictured, discovered the Department of Work and Pensions believed she was dead when she opened a letter sent to her home from them, addressed to her family.

The letter from the department's disability and carers service said: "I am sorry to hear that Mrs C W Wozny has died.

"I apologise for having to get in touch with you at this time but we need some information."

The letter enclosed an official form which asked the date of Mrs Wozny's death, what hospital or accommodation she had been in, if she had left a will and details of the executors and next of kin.

Mrs Wozny, 75, of Cottingley Manor Way, Cottingley, said: "I rang them to tell them I was alive. I was so upset and shocked I couldn't find my voice at first but they accepted what I said."

The next day Mrs Wozny went to the post office for her allowance money and pension. She discovered her £55 pension had been stopped and then reinstated.

But, she said: "I couldn't get my income support and disability allowance which totals about £60 altogether because they had been stopped."

She added: "I have no idea who told them I was dead, but they accepted it when I told them over the phone that I was alive, so it doesn't seem as if they make official checks."

Mrs Wozny - a former lecturer at Bradford College who has a doctorate in psychology - suffers from bone cancer and has been receiving chemotherapy.

She said: "It is a very invasive cancer and life is so important that you shouldn't have to deal with this nonsense. It isn't right.

"I have been very shocked but my daughter has found it even more distressing than me."

Mrs Wozny's daughter, Krystyna Hayes, said: "The mistakes have caused considerable distress to the family. The cause has to be established." Former Bradford Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Micklem, who has taken up her case, has written to the department and contacted Shipley MP Chris Leslie about the mistake.

Mr Leslie said he would bring the error to the attention of the minister responsible for the service, Maria Eagle.

"I am very glad this disgraceful error has been brought to my attention," he said.

"She deserves the fullest of apologies and the immediate restoration of her benefits. I will press for the investigation to be conducted speedily. There can be very little excuse for that sort of mistake."

Department of Work and Pensions spokesman Simon Wilkinson said: "We deeply regret the upset caused to Mrs Wozny and her family. We are currently looking into the reasons for this mistake and the director of the disability and carers service has asked for a full investigation to be carried out. We will write to Mrs Wozny when the details of the investigation have been examined."