A wife sacked by her husband when she claimed he threw her out of the house has been awarded GBP22,782 compensation by an employment tribunal.

Jennifer MacGregor and her mother, Sadie Carswell, of Upper Greens, Auchtermuchty, Fife, both complained that they had been unfairly dismissed from their jobs at MacGregor Fresh Meats, of which Mrs MacGregor's husband, Colin, was managing director.

The tribunal also awarded Mrs Carswell GBP4930 in compensation.

Mrs MacGregor was accounts manager for the company, of Binn Farm, Glenfarg, in Perthshire, and her mother was the office manager, the Dundee tribunal heard.

Mr and Mrs MacGregor had an argument at their home last March during which Mrs MacGregor claimed that he "threw her out of the house".

She also claimed that he told her that she, her mother, her father and her brother, who all worked for the company, were dismissed, and that none of them should report for work the following day.

The company had denied their claims but ceased trading before the tribunal hearing in Dundee earlier this month and was not represented.

Nicol Hosie, tribunal chairman, said that the evidence of Mrs Carswell and Mrs MacGregor was consistent, convincing and to a large extent corroborated.