A West Sussex pensioner has claimed a victory against her local authority's decision to axe her from her job as a fitness instructor for being too old.

Council officials agreed to reinstate 70-year-old Celia Powis in her role at Worthing Leisure Centre, enabling her to continue teaching keep fit classes.

Following a meeting, Worthing Borough Council announced it will extend her contract by 12 months to January 31 2009 and it will then be reviewed.

The authority faced accusations of age discrimination after officials told Mrs Powis the day before her 70th birthday that they were not renewing her contract to teach pop mobility classes - intensive workout routines carried out to pop music.

The law states that although employers are legally entitled to force people to retire at or after the age of 65, employees should be allowed to argue their cases to stay on.

At a private appeal hearing, Mrs Powis, from Worthing, urged the council to allow her to stay on, saying she believed her age should not be seen as a barrier to her work.

After learning of her extended contract, she said: "It's a marvellous result. I'm just going back to normal again, which was all I ever wanted. I hope that once I go back, all the problems will have been ironed out.

"I wasn't fighting the council, which gave me a very fair hearing, but I was merely fighting for my employment rights.

"It is a victory for what should have been right and fair. I'm just delighted."

Mrs Powis, who also runs five fitness sessions a week of her own in addition to those at the leisure centre, had vowed to take the case to a tribunal had the hearing not gone in her favour.