A WOMAN who won compensation for unfair dismissal from a Darlington photography firm claims she has not received a penny.

Suzanne Todd, of Darlington, a former worker at Risbey's shop in Skinnergate, said she will not receive any of the £6,000 compensation she was awarded for unfair dismissal. She was dismissed from Risbeys Photographic Limited the day after she informed her employers she was pregnant, she told an employment tribunal earlier this year.

Derek Risbey, a director of the family company, last night confirmed the company had ceased trading in May and was going through insolvency procedures. But he said he did not want to give any further comment.

His son carries on the family's photographic tradition in a separate company, Risbeys Photography.

Mrs Todd told The Northern Echo she had tried to get her compensation, but had failed because Risbeys Photographic Limited had ceased trading.

She said: "I feel sure I will never get the money owed to me now. It was a long procedure going to the tribunal and I have come out with nothing."

Mrs Todd's former colleague, James Thrower, was recently awarded compensation from a tribunal in Newcastle. He told the tribunal panel his wage cheques had repeatedly bounced when he worked at the photographic shop and was awarded more than £6,000.

He could not be contacted for comment last night.

Risbeys did not defend itself at either tribunal.

A spokeswoman for the Insolvency Service said last night: "The whole point of a limited company is limited liability - the directors are not liable for things like that once the company is wound up.

"I would suggest that the people owed money make a claim through the company's liquidators."