A FORMER employee of Holland's Pies who planned to take the company to an employment tribunal has settled out of court.

Father-of-one Faruk Hussain, 25, of Pendle Street, Accrington, had brought a case against the Baxenden based company after being dismissed last year.

But earlier this month the matter was settled before the case came to the tribunal in Manchester.

Faruk started working at the Baxenden plant as a temporary packer in October 2000 and was made permanent in February 2001.

He says that problems at work mainly began last year when he took extended time off to undergo two operations.

Following that he said he received numerous verbal and written warnings for being late to work and for handing a sweet to another employee.

He also claims he was given a final written warning for allegedly "crushing pies" on the production line and was then given an extended warning for parking on yellow lines in the company's car park when he couldn't find a parking space.

He claims that other workers who did the same thing were not reprimanded.

He also says that he was spoken to for driving "too slowly" while driving home, outside of factory hours.

The matter has now been settled between the company and Faruk, who now works as a part-time delivery driver in Manchester, added: "I am very happy with the settlement."

Graham March, managing director of Holland's Pies, Baxenden, said: "The matter has been settled amicably out of court."

The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) said they were unable to comment on individual cases because of confidentiality.