A BOURNEMOUTH council official has claimed she still suffers nightmares from the wrath of one of it former directors, an employment tribunal has heard.

Head of audit Feriser Tasdelen claims former finance director and Section 151 officer Liz Wilkinson shouted and swore at her following a cabinet meeting last September as a result of a mistake in a budget report.

In her witness statement Ms Tasdelen said that: "The rant seemed to go on for some time, about one minute, during this time she was right in my face and she was so angry I could feel her spit on my face."

She added: "The way she spoke to me made it very clear through her language she was extremely angry."

But Richard O'Dair, representing the claimant, asked why she had failed to report the incident or look for alternative employment.

He said: "You say 'I was shocked at the tone the volume of her shouting and her aggression towards me. I genuinely felt that she was so angry that she was going to hit me. I had a very real sense that my physical safety was at risk and that I was very vulnerable'."

Ms Tasdelen responded: "I was in a terribly difficult situation here. After the incident I went home to my mother, who is extremely disabled. I have been her primary carer for 15 years. I thought here I was going to leave the council. My mother became extremely upset and I couldn't do that to her. At that time I had no alternative but to carry on with the council. I wanted to forget the episode and that was my way of getting on with it.

"It wasn't just about my job it was about my wellbeing. It had a profound effect on me. After the incident I had nightmares for a number of months reliving that scenario of Ms Wilkinson shouting and screaming in my face. I still get flashbacks."

Ms Tasdelen says she is still taking anti anxiety medication as a result.

She also claimed Ms Wilkinson was after the chief executive job, claiming it was the only way she could unravel Ms Wilkinson's alleged strange behaviour.

Mr O'Dair said: "Are you seriously sustaining this allegation in this tribunal? It's a pretty serious one to make.

"You thought it right to share your idle thoughts with Mr Major, who was investigating the claimant's conduct. Your testimony changes like the British weather."

Ms Tasdelen said: "At times she was quite rude, swore. I also thought she was an inspirational and intelligent woman but there were some behaviours that I thought inappropriate."

But Ms Wilkinson claimed it was in fact Ms Tasdelen who had been aggressive the day of the cabinet meeting. Employees in the accountancy department reported aggressive and threatening behaviour from Ms Tasdalen - a former metal sheet worker - who allegedly threatened "to deck" her colleague for pushing passed her.

Mr O'Dair said: "You have been in an incident where you felt your very eyesight was being put at risk. Very, very serious. You can feel her spit on your face. Then you ran into her husband and he says she's had a bit of a melt down but she will have forgotten about it by this afternoon. You go to her office and she asks 'are we still friends' and you say 'yes'?"

Ms Tasdelen responded: "She often had rants but this was one step further. I've got no alternative but to work. It doesn't mean it's undone everything we have had over the last two years."

The hearing continues.