A TEACHER sacked while she underwent chemotherapy for cancer has won her fight against unfair dismissal.

Lorna Hurrell, 54, was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against when she was head of the kindergarten department at the Gads Hill School in Higham, an industrial tribunal ruled.

Mrs Hurrell, who suffered breast cancer and then secondary liver cancer, this week described the result as "wonderful".

She was diagnosed with cancer in early 2000 and returned to work. It was found the tumour had spread and more treatment was needed.

The second time treatment was successful and she was deemed fit to return to work in April 2002.

But while her doctor recommended a phased return, the school initially insisted she either worked full-time or accept a severance package.

Neither was acceptable to Mrs Hurrell, who was then told her contract would be terminated.

Mrs Hurrell said after the hearing: "Part of coping with the cancer treatment is to look forward to it ending and trying to get back to normal.

"I was hoping to get back to work at the school part-time as I was still having treatment and the build-up of the drugs in my system made it impossible for me to go back full-time.

"The school did support me and I was upset that I couldn't go back part-time.

"I really miss the children and the job, but I am overjoyed with the result."

David Craggs, head teacher at Gads Hill School, said: "Mrs Hurrell was an excellent and popular teacher in our infant department.

"It is very sad indeed that due to her illness she became unable to teach and was absent from school for almost two years.

"During that period the young children in her class were taught by temporary supply staff."

Mr Craggs went on to say Mrs Hurrell's long absence through ill health had a negative impact on the quality of the children's education.

He said: "In the end the school had to make a very difficult decision.

"Very regretfully and with utmost sympathy for her, but in the interests of our pupils, it was decided to bring her employment to an end."

The level of compensation given to Mrs Hurrell will be decided in June, when the NUT union will again be supporting Mrs Hurrell.