Trinity College has issued an apology after its porters denied toilet access to a cancer survivor whose colostomy bag was leaking. 

Sue Mallett, 59, who had been diagnosed with cancer in 2014, was on her first day out with friends in two years to celebrate being clear of cancer when the incident occurred. 

Mallett was near the rear entrance of Trinity when her colostomy bag began to leak, and proceeded to seek help from two of the college's porters. 

However, despite presenting a card which specifically asks for permission to use a toilet in the event of a medical emergency, the porters informed her that there were no toilets nor any nearby. 

Mallett, describing the situation, said: "It was just an absolutely horrid situation.

"My bag was leaking and it wasn't even so much that they said there were no toilets, it was the way I was spoken to. They were not interested and were dismissive.

"It was degrading and I just don't want somebody else to be treated like that, it was horrid and actually really sad." 

Subsequent to this, Trinity's porters informed Mallett that the nearest toilets were a "long way away". Having provided her with no directions, Mallett went to Clare College, whose porters she found to be the "complete opposite and very helpful".

Upon her return home, Mallett's husband Steve contacted Trinity and accused them of "callous indifference". 

Dr Rod Pullen, the college's junior bursar, responded to the situation by offering "unreserved apologies" for what had happened.

He added: "The only toilets in this area are those specific to the occupants' accommodation and these are within staircases locked at their entrances.

"Access to the staircases by members of the public is not generally possible for the security and privacy of those living there."

The college has also issued a more recent statement, saying: "Trinity College apologises unreservedly for this misunderstanding and the distress it has caused." 

Reacting to the incident, an anonymous Trinity student told Varsity: "I'm not surprised by this. Even as a member of the college, I'm often asked to show identification when walking around. We do get a lot of visitors, but the porters seem to take a particularly hard line in their dealings with them."