A Nurse has been struck off the register for racially abusing colleagues.

Carol Allan, 58, was racially abusive towards Patsy Mamba, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

The former Army nurse made the offensive remarks while on duty at the 56-bed Lansbury Court Care Centre, Castledown, Sunderland, between October 2002 and September 2003. She was also repeatedly abusive towards care assistants.

Mrs Allan, of Hetton-le-Hole, also reduced a wheelchair-bound patient to tears by moving her into a room which had been closed for redecoration because she was being noisy.

Chairman Nancy Kirkland said: "We accept you were going through a difficult period in your life. You demonstrated unacceptable treatment of others, both colleagues and patients."

Steve Gibbons, for Mrs Allan, said the mother-of-three had been going though a traumatic break-up with her partner who had mentally abused her.

After Mrs Allan was dismissed by Lansbury Court, she worked for South Tyneside Trust until January 2005. She was sacked for failing to disclose why she left her previous job and that NMC proceedings were under way.