A TURKISH poultry factory worker who was locked in a freezer by colleagues has been awarded more than £20,000 by an employment tribunal.

Cengis Yoldas, 29, wept as he told the hearing "I thought I was going to die."

The freezer incident was the culmination of months of racial abuse by a gang of fellow workers at the Moorland Poultry factory in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

An employment tribunal in Middlesbrough, accepted allegations made by Mr Yoldas, from Stockton, that he was racially victimised during his 13 months at the factory.

He suffered verbal abuse from gang of workers and, in January last year, was deliberately locked in a freezer by a fellow worker for at least an hour.

Mr Yoldas broke down as he told the tribunal how he thought he was going to die in the freezer.

"After realising I was trapped, I started to panic because it was coming up to lunchtime and I knew everyone would go and I would be trapped. I was so cold and terrified," he said.

The tribunal accepted that the ordeal and the lack of action taken by the company regarding the incident was because of Mr Yoldas' Turkish background.

They awarded Mr Yoldas £10,000 for injury to feelings, £5,000 for aggravated damages and £7,500 legal costs.

Mr Yoldas, 29, who came to the UK in 2000, said he was relieved it was all over. But now he fears he may never see his compensation as the company involved has gone into receivership.

The poultry firm, which denied the claims, was represented by accountants Price- WaterhouseCoopers.