In the last year Christine Jones has suffered 46 epileptic fits because of her extreme allergic reaction to conventional chemicals, such as cleaning products, perfume and hairspray.

The 51-year-old mum, from Peterlee, is so sensitive to chemicals that even everyday tasks such as walking down the washing powder aisle in her local supermarket, or cleaning her house in Snowdon Place, cause her to pass out or to fit.

Christine, who works for Age Concern in Durham, has even broken every finger and her wrist after banging them during falls and fits.

She is appearing in a BBC documentary on chemical sensitivity to be screened on BBC3 in the next few weeks.

Mum-of-one Christine, who lives with husband Derek, 51, has suffered from the disorder for more than four decades and says it can happen at any time.

She said: "At school I would pass out every time I went to the swimming pool because of the chlorine in the water.

"Last week, I was outside the butchers when a customer came in with perfume and two minutes later I was unconscious."

But Christine says because the condition is so unusual, she finds it difficult to seek help to control it.

She said: "There are a lot of people who are chemically sensitive that don't realise it. Most doctors don't know anything about it."

Christine was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 18 months old and has suffered fits for as long as she can remember.

But it wasn't until she went to see an allergy doctor that the cause of her fits was diagnosed as chemical-related.

Her fits have been reduced through an organic diet and exposure to small quantities of chemicals and at one point she was taking 35 pills a day to control her reactions.

Her dosage has since been reduced to eight per day.

In 1998, Christine's six-year-old daughter Sarah Jones, who is now 15, was given a bravery award after telephoning for an ambulance when her mum suffered a fit after coming in to contact with a chemical.

Christine says she has to be on her guard all the time.

She said: "Now the only time I tend to have a fit is if I go anywhere near a chemical."If it is a small amount of chemical I can be unconscious for about five or 10 minutes, but if it is a lot I can be out for the whole day."