TWO security guards who were unfairly dismissed have been awarded compensation.

Bill Kerr, 58, and Peter Kneeshaw, 46, worked for Chubb providing security at Cummins in Darlington.

They were sacked after Chubb's acting area manager Paul Wilson visited the site and found they were not working the hours set out in company documents.

However, at the Newcastle tribunal in March it was revealed that they were actually working more hours than they should have been, and were working hours requested by previous area manager Kevin Daley, manager of the Cummins site, who was on sick leave.

Mr Kerr, of Lowson Street Darlington, received £29,927 compensation.

He had 18 years experience in the security industry, following 22 years' service in the RAF, when he was sacked from his job as security supervisor at Cummins on September 11, last year.

Mr Kneeshaw, of Zetland Street, Darlington, received £12,334. He had four years' experience when he was dismissed on September 4, 2003.

A GMB union spokeswoman said: "It was a disgrace that two loyal and dedicated employees were sacked for obeying orders and working to an agreement that had worked for both parties for a while."