Meet the woman who passes out whenever she sees an egg

The beauty therapist is so petrified of seeing the yellow and white sizzler it makes her ill.

She is able to stomach eggs which are boiled or scrambled but is terrified of eggs which are fried.

"My friends think it is madness but I completely freak out with the sight of fried eggs," she said.

"They look like an evil eye. The whole thing just looks evil, distrustful and greasy."

Her fear has become so bad that even a quick glance at one makes her feel physically sick and even faint.

"A friend of mine had a picture on Facebook of them cooking a fried egg - I had to stick a post-it over it so I couldn't see it," she said.

Susan, 39, says she is afraid of going into restaurants and cafe's in case she spots her greasy nemesis lurking on a plate.

"I can't go to restaurants because I am afraid of seeing a fried egg," she said.

"I do anything in my power not to come into contact with them because I am unable to control the feelings that overtake me."

The mother-of-one believes her phobia started around 20 years ago when having a meal at a friend's house.

"My friends decided to make a fried egg sandwich which I believe is where my fear began," she said.

"It was the nastiest, greasiest-looking sandwich I had ever seen and I remember the fried egg was hanging out of it, the yolk was running down the side, and it was burnt at the edges.

"It still haunts me to this day."

Over the past twenty years Susan, who also has a phobia of birds, has also been tormented by people who have failed to recognise the extent of her unusual fear.

"I don't like to tell anyone about my fear because people see it as a joke. One of my friends thought it would be funny to creep up on me whilst I was cooking bacon and to crack an egg into the pan, I ended up tipping the pan and badly burning my hand.

"I would be violent to anyone who tried to show me or pull me towards a fried egg, so I now make sure I keep an egg free zone."

Her phobia doesn't run in the family however.

"My seven-year-old daughter just doesn't like eggs full stop. I guess that solves any egg phobia issues in the future." she said.

Susan, from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, is among the one in eight Britons who will suffer from a phobia in their lifetime.

Phobia experts say nausea, excessive sweating, erratic breathing, and panic attacks as just some of the symptoms described from those who suffer from fears and phobias.

Hypnotherapist, Andy Duncan, said: "Fear is a negative emotion and can be extremely debilitating to peoples lives.

"As babies we are born with two in-built phobias, the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises.

"Every other fear we acquire is either inherited from our parents or picked up as we get older.

"By looking at people's memories and experiences you can find the situation and behaviour that triggered the negative response and unlearn that behaviour.

"Sufferers who confront their fears and phobias will be able to move on with their lives and perhaps deal with other issues that may have been connected to them. If they don't confront their fears - their suffering will continue - it's their choice."