A woman who accused her former husband of unfairly sacking her from his doctor's surgery has accepted a financial settlement.

Fiona Sayers, who worked as a practice nurse, claimed compensation from her ex-husband, Dr Robert Sayers, at an employment tribunal.

She claimed she had been unfairly picked for redundancy because her ex-husband wanted her out of his surgery following the break-up of their marriage.

After Dr Sayers gave his evidence at the Brighton hearing, the couple agreed a settlement, which ended the legal action.

Mrs Sayers, of Amberley Drive, Goring, near Worthing, claimed she had been unfairly dismissed from Cornerways Surgery in George V Avenue, Worthing, in March last year.

But Dr Sayers, of Downview Road, Worthing, denied fabricating the redundancy because he wanted his ex-wife out of the surgery.

The tribunal heard the couple, who have three children, were married in September 1998 and separated in spring last year.

Dr Sayers said the decision to make his former partner redundant was unconnected with the marital breakdown.

He told the hearing a review of the workload of the two practice nurses at the surgery showed their hours could be reduced.

When the nurses, who both worked part-time, refused to a voluntarily cut in hours, one of them was selected for redundancy.

He said his former wife was chosen because she had less suitable skills and experience.

Dr Sayers, who has been a GP for nine years, denied he had stopped talking to his ex-wife at work.

He also denied making coffee for other staff at the surgery but not for her.

Mrs Sayers, who had worked at the surgery since 1994, accepted a redundancy had to be made but claimed she should not have been chosen because she was better qualified and had more experience than the other practice nurse.