A former computer software manager who claimed her health was wrecked by long hours has settled a legal action against her former employers.

Cheryl West, 50, told an employment tribunal that she had to undergo an emergency triple heart bypass in December 1999 after suffering stress and working up to 80 hours a week with Fountains Plc, a forestry clearing company.

Last night she expressed bitter disappointment at being advised by her solicitor to drop the case.

She settled for an undisclosed sum after being told it was unlikely she would win her case for sex discrimination and constructive dismissal.

Mrs West, of Pembrook Crescent, Hove, who worked as a software development manager for four and half years at the company, said she would never get another job because of her ill health.

She said: "If you work 80 hours a week for years you get very ill.

"I had no heart condition before working for that company and within three years I had a triple heart bypass and two stents put in."

Mrs West earlier told the tribunal in Brighton that, despite repeated requests to reduce her workload designing databases, nothing had been done about it.

She said senior managers phoned her at home during her recovery and asked her to do work that she felt obliged to do because she was devoted to the company and did not want to let down her colleagues.

Mrs West denied she had done the work willingly when questioned by Jonathan Ashworth, representing the company, and said she felt she had to because the directors were asking her to do it and she was the only one capable.

Mrs West said: "Despite assurances matters would improve, they did not. I was still working excessive hours, sometimes working all night and travelling thousands of miles.

"As a direct result of the stress I was admitted for an emergency heart bypass.

"Despite being extremely ill, I was contacted at home three weeks later by staff requesting me to write databases.

"I had to sit and type daily on a computer. A heart bypass entails the rib cage being sawn through and they took an artery from my leg to allow the surgery.

"Therefore sitting at a computer and trying to type caused me great pain."

She also alleged that she was not given the same benefits as other senior male managers such as a mobile phone and access to a private health care scheme.

Mrs West's health continued to deteriorate and she eventually resigned in May this year after her husband told her she could die if she stayed in the job.