A WOMAN who claims she was sent a dead mouse in the internal post at work has launched her claim for unfair dismissal at an industrial tribunal.

Amanda Fisher, a former employee of the Kent Messenger Group who was based at its headquarters in Larkfield, is claiming unfair dismissal against the company at a tribunal, which began in Ashford on Wednesday.

Ms Fisher, who worked for the company as a writer and sub-editor, claims that she was dismissed as a result of ‘whistleblowing’ because she had raised concerns about a professional training programme and health and safety issues.

Ms Fisher, of Selling, near Faversham, who joined the company as a trainee sub editor in August 2000 following a long career in broadcast journalism, alleges that she was the victim of a prolonged campaign of bullying and harassment at the hands of management and senior colleagues.

She also claims she received the freshly-killed dead mouse in the internal mail in March 2003. She is seeking re-instatement.

The tribunal, chaired by Christiana Hyde, heard initial evidence from Kim Nicol, the director of East Sussex-based Employment Advantage (ELA), who was called in by the company to carry out an impartial investigation in October 2003 into Ms Fisher’s claims over bullying and harassment.

Miss Nicol told the court that she had been in a position to relay her preliminary findings on Ms Fisher’s allegations, which amounted to 19 issues, in March 2004.

Ms Fisher had removed herself from the workplace on her doctor’s advice in July 2003, but although the investigation was still ongoing, she was dismissed in June 2004, she claims, without explanation.

The Kent Messenger Group Ltd denies all her claims. The case, which is continuing, is expected to last 17 days.