AN Evesham haulage firm which ceased trading in March with £20,000 debts has been told to pay a former lorry driver more than £1,000 after telling him only the day before that he would lose his job.

RTB Traction Ltd, of Badsey, faced problems when a firm went out of business while owing the haulage company £20,000 said Jayne Cook who helped run RTB.

Eight lorry drivers have lost their jobs with RTB - including John Watkins who had been employed by the firm since January 2004, a Birmingham employment tribunal was told.

Mr Watkins was seeking compensation for the unlawful deduction of money from his wages, breach of contract and holiday pay.

He complained that he had been told only the day before that he was losing his job with the closure of the firm instead of being given the statutory notice of at least one week.

Mr Watkins said he had been owed £148 in wages which formed the 'unlawful deduction of pay' claim.

The firm had initially contested the claims and had stated that Mr Watkins had been given more prior notice about the closure.

Mrs Cook who helped her husband, Mitchell Cook, the former transport manager, at the firm, represented RTB at the tribunal.

She had previously applied for an adjournment. Richard Parriss had owned the firm.

Mr Watkins, who earned £472 gross a week, said: "I am gutted to hear that Mitch claimed I was given prior notice. I was told the day before."

Tribunal chairman John Parkin said the tribunal was satisfied that Mr Watkins was told his job was being terminated the next day and that no formal notice of termination had been given.

He awarded Mr Watkins a total of £1,161 which included holiday pay and £380 for breach of contract.

Mrs Cook said after the hearing that Mr Watkins would be paid as one of the creditors.

"The firm was formed in 1994 but when a firm went into liquidation owing us £20,000 RTB faced problems," she said.