NEWPORT social services were forced to apologise today after highly personal and sensitive information about vulnerable elderly residents was allegedly sent by fax to the wrong number more than 10 times.

The council department mistakenly sent personal care plans and other private information to Pill Florist Ann Barton despite Mrs Barton saying she has complained to social services staff after every blunder.

The latest information, which was meant to be sent to Newport-based private care company Greenbanks Community Care, details the mental and physical condition of a vulnerable 81-year-old Newport woman as well as her personal care plan.

The care firm's fax number differs from Mrs Barton's by one digit.

The document, seen by the Argus, states when the pensioner will be at home alone and the timings of daily care visits.

It tells how she needs help with her shopping, finances, cooking, changing and toileting.

The document says the pensioner has "memory deficits and diabetes".

It adds: "Her self care and domestic skills are deteriorating."

Last night the woman's son and Mrs Barton said the detailed personal information could have put her at risk if it had come into the possession of would-be conmen.

The woman's son said: "If that information had got into the wrong hands she would be vulnerable.

"I am very concerned information like this is being sent by fax when they have secure email systems."

Mrs Barton said: "I was so angry. I have phoned them up several times before and they have just told me to shred the information.

"It's absolutely disgraceful. With that information anyone could turn up at this lady's door, tell her they were doing her shopping, ask for her purse and be gone.

"They would know all sorts of information about her that only a carer would know."

A Newport Council spokesman confirmed social services were aware of the most recent blunder and one other similar incident.

The Greenbanks number is automatically saved on the department's fax machine but it is thought the mistake must have occurred when a worker manually dialled the number.

The spokesman said: "Once we were aware of the error, we immediately contacted the family to apologise.

"We deeply regret any distress this may have caused to the family and we are reviewing our procedures to ensure that this doesn't happen again."