FOUR former lecturers won an 18-month battle against Preston College after a tribunal ruled they had been unfairly dismissed.

It also found the college had breached contracts by not making the agreed redundancy payments when staff were laid off. Other allegations yet to be considered against the college include staff bullying.

Christianne Thornton, who was head of French, maths tutors Jim Lee and Howard Parsons, and health and social care instructor Zof Gibbons were sacked in December 1995 from the college on St Vincent's Road, Fulwood.

The four have spend thousands of pounds of their own money pursuing the case as union bosses at NATFHE refused to back them.

Christianne Thornton said: "I feel on top of the world. It's absolutely wonderful after being completely demoralised."

Zof Gibbons said: "It's been upsetting waiting this long and we've felt like giving up but we'll battle to the end.

"The case has cost me £1,600, and it's still not finished."

The tribunal opened in October last year and the hearing took 13 days, amassing stacks of evidence and statements.

The tribunal will meet again in September to decide compensation.

A Preston College spokesperson said: "It is too early to comment as we are waiting to receive detailed findings of the tribunal."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.