Ananova:

A Sheffield shop worker was stunned to receive a demand for £72 million in rent arrears for her council house.

Mum-of-one Cathy Archer, 39, is supposed to pay £21-a-week in rent for her end-terrace house.

Now she has been told by officials she actually owes just £35, reports the Sheffield Star.

She said: "When I received the demand, I just felt like collapsing. It didn't register to start with, I was in total shock. I wondered how I could possibly owe them so much."

Cathy's rent totals £1,092 annually, meaning her supposed arrears were equivalent to 65,934 years of payments.

She added: "After receiving the letter, I phoned Sheffield Homes and the bloke who answered couldn't stop laughing. I said I'd have to come back in the next life to pay it all back.

"I only work 16 hours a week and half my earnings go straight out on council tax and rent - there's not much left over to even begin to clear a debt like that.

Housing management company Sheffield Homes confirmed the letter had been sent in error and apologised for the blunder.

Spokesman Dean Peaker said: "We would like to apologise to Miss Archer for this administrative error and any upset it may have caused. Mistakes like this happen extremely rarely."