A RELIGIOUS studies teacher who claims she was bullied and harassed by staff over six years is taking her school to an employment tribunal.

The news comes a week after the headteacher at Dyson Perrins High School, Peter Buchanan, revealed he would retire from his post at the end of the school year.

Anne Patrick has been off work sick since September 2003.

Her partner, Paul Jones, told the Evening News she suffered illness because of stress and is taking the Malvern school's governing board and county council to an employment tribunal.

But Mr Buchanan denied that the timing of his resignation announcement - which came three days after witness statements were exchanged - had anything to do with the case.

Mrs Patrick's lawyers said the tribunal would test laws which allowed workers "faced with a situation of imminent danger to health" to leave work.

"We are not aware of any tribunal in the UK having been asked to rule on this and the case has great significance for the interpretation of employment rights throughout the country," they said in a statement.

It said Mrs Patrick - who lives in Worcester and taught at the school for 19 years - should receive financial damages in lieu of sick pay that she has not received under county council's rules.

Mr Buchanan said his resignation, made public on Monday, January 17, was "entirely unrelated" to the exchange of statements.

"It's certainly got nothing to do with it. The tribunal has been in the offing and the dates were set last July," he said.

"Indeed, if there was a reason for staying on I might be saying this legal process is set to go on for years and I will stay until I've won it.

"Whilst I wouldn't want to presume decision of tribunals before they take place, at no point has anyone even begun to suggest we should settle it. It seems to me an indication that County Hall believes it's all nonsense."

A spokesman for the county council said solicitors were studying papers served against the authority in relation to the case.

"Until such matters are resolved, however, there is very little we can say," he added.