A BOUNCER won £3,000 for injured feelings after she was harassed for being "straight" while working at a gay club.

Sharon Legg from Bournemouth was called "breeder" and "straight"- derogatory terms used in the gay community.

The 33-year-old mum-of-four was working at Dream in The Triangle and her employer was Rubyz Limited.

She took her case to an employment tribunal and was also awarded £3,222 for unfair dismissal.

She told the tribunal the comments were aimed at her by manager Scott Rhodes.

Mrs Legg said she was dismissed without warning after a dispute with another doorman.

But she was not found to have been sacked because she was heterosexual.

She told the Echo after the tribunal she'd had "quite a lot of support" from the gay community.

"I am friends with a lot of gay people," said Sharon, who now works the door at O'Neills.

"I just think there's a few individuals who have a preference for their own kind. The tribunal could find no reason why I should have lost my job."

Rubyz Limited director Nick King is also a councillor on Bournemouth's cabinet and is the Conservatives' prospective MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole.

He said afterwards: "We accept that she was dismissed due to proper procedures not being followed. We are considering appealing."

He said the company had done everything it could to protect her from harassment. "We have a zero tolerance attitude towards any kind of discrimination."

Mrs Legg's barrister, Sarah Courtney from Gales Solicitors of Wimborne Road, Winton, said: "It was an unusual case.

"The legislation was brought in to prevent gay and lesbian people from being harassed."

And she added: "I haven't come across a case like this before."

Mrs Legg said: "I made this complaint for gay people, straight people, anyone who has ever been harassed. I'm like a bulldog, I don't let go!

"I honestly didn't care about money. I told my solicitor I didn't care if I got 5p. She said she did because she would get 1p!"