A EURO MP is being taken to an industrial tribunal by a former employee who claims she was sacked in a row over holiday entitlements.

Dr John Whittaker MEP, a former Parliamentary candidate in Hyndburn, has had the claim brought against him by Hilary Harris, from Chipping, who ran his offices in Preston.

Mrs Harris has based her unfair dismissal claim on two grounds, according to the Employment Tribunals Service, which oversees industrial disputes.

She firstly says she was sacked from Dr Whittaker's employment after claiming a statutory right.

The second arm of her claim states she was either not allowed to take statutory annual leave - or not paid her proper holiday entitlement.

Next Monday a preliminary hearing is due to be staged behind closed doors at the tribunal service's offices in Manchester, to determine what the central issues will be in the case.

Dr Whittaker, who represents the UK Independence Party, was elected to the European Parliament in 2004, after his group polled more than 257,000 votes.

A UKIP spokesman for the MEP, who is now based in King Street, Lancaster, said: "Dr Whittaker will not be commenting on the case before the hearing."

He is already known more closely by some voters in East Lancashire - he stood as a General Election candidate against Labour MP Greg Pope in Hyndburn in 2005.

He stood in no fewer than eight different seats for UKIP - his name was on the ballot forms in Ashton-under-Lyne, Crosby, Heywood and Middleton, Manchester Central, Rochdale, Stalybridge and Hyde, and Wigan.

Dr Whittaker, the party's national chairman, polled 743 votes in Hyndburn, placing him fifth behind the three main political parties and 1,700 votes behind the British National Party candidate.

The MEP is one of nine UKIP representatives in Brussels, forming part of the Independent and Democracy grouping.