A GREENOCK great gran returned home from cancer treatment to a debt letter telling her that she was DEAD.

Tillie McDonald, who will turn 90 next month, received the shock message from electricity company Scottish Power.

The note told her that £75.51 was still owed on her account, and offered ways for the account to be settled.

Tillie, of Jamaica Court, joked: "Some bright spark obviously thought it was fine to address a letter to me telling me that I'd passed away.

"I'd like to know who informed Scottish Power of my demise, so I could strangle them!"

Tillie added: "Why did they just accept the information without checking if it was right?

"A man I spoke to on the phone told me that I was off their system altogether."

Tillie — who says she is a spiritualist medium — was undergoing treatment for breast cancer and gallstones when the letter was posted on January 9.

It states: "Dear customer, we have been notified that our customer has passed away and send our sincere condolences."

The letter continued: "We don't seem to have received the outstanding payment of £75.51 for the balance on this account. Please make the necessary arrangements to pay this..."

It offers four ways to pay — by debit card, phone or online banking, by post or with cash.

The letter also asks: "Are there circumstances which may delay this payment?"

Tillie said: "I'm raging.

"I was in tears.

"It was a shock that came around the anniversary of my husband's passing, so I was upset anyway.

"My daughter joked with me that if they tell you you're dead you don't need to pay it."

Spritely Tillie — who has three children, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild — added: "I'm a spiritualist and even I myself didn't know I was dead! You should hear some of the cracks I get for that because of this letter.

"I went to the warden in the building and asked her to feel my arm and she asked me if there was something wrong with my arm and I said, 'No, I'm deid apparently'.

"I think she thought I was bonkers."

Tillie has further treatment scheduled for her serious ailments on her birthday on February 1 and also in March.

She said: "I phoned Scottish Power and I was on the phone for three-quarters-of-an-hour and then I got cut off.

The pensioner says she wants Scottish Power to say sorry for the distress they have caused.

Tillie said: "I called back and told them I wanted a written apology but so far I've received nothing."

A spokesman for Scottish Power said: “ScottishPower sincerely apologises to Mrs MacDonald for the distress caused by this error, which is being fully investigated.

“We have spoken with Mrs MacDonald today to personally apologise and explain that the letter was caused by human error.”