TOY shop worker Emma Driver won £5,000 after she was sacked by her own brother for being pregnant.

Emma successfully claimed she was sexually discriminated against by her brother, David, who sacked her from his toy firm when she became pregnant.

After an Employment Tribunal panel awarded Emma, 25, the compensation she said she was delighted.

But her furious brother said yesterday: "I would rather jump off the Tyne Bridge than give her that money."

Emma, of Burnopfield, County Durham, had been employed as a part-time clerical worker with her brother's Gateshead-based Capital Enterprises Limited where she earned £68 a week.

An angry dispute broke out when she told him she could not take a full-time position because of her pregnancy and she was told to resign.

Emma said: "I'm so relieved this is over. I'm still very upset about what has happened but now I've won it feels like I can close the door on that part of my life and move on."

During the tribunal, she broke down in tears as she told how the experience left her feeling degraded and ashamed, and described how her brother had sent her a letter falsely claiming she was being investigated by the police for theft.

Mr Driver, 43, has vowed he will not hand over the £5,000 awarded to his sister and added his business would be forced to close.

The former lorry driver said: "As far as I'm concerned, Emma and my parents are dead. They took her side without even ringing me to ask for my side of the story.

"I will be taking legal advice on whether I can lodge an appeal on a point of law."