Heather Mills' nanny sues

The former employee of Paul McCartney's ex-wife claims...

14:51 30 March 2010

The former nanny of Heather Mills claims she was treated in a "humiliating and demeaning" way.

Speaking at an employment tribunal, Sarah Trumble said her ex-employer says she wasn't the only staff member to feel unhappy with their treatment.

During a cross-examination, she said: "I wasn't the only person who felt that at that time. It's just that nobody else will stand up. I decided to take action and fight this for myself."

The 26-year-old ex-nanny originally started working for Heather and Paul McCartney in 2004, when the couple were still married, looking after their daughter Beatrice.

She was kept on when the former Beatle and Heather split in 2006, but claims Mills made her feel uncomfortable, forcing her to resign, after the breakup.

Trumble is suing her former employer for constructive dismissal and sexual discrimination, on the grounds that she was "unsympathetic" towards her when she went through a difficult pregnancy.

She alleges that Mills got angry with her on several occasions forced her to accompany her on trips abroad despite her condition.

"She wasn't sympathetic or supportive," Trumble said.

"There was an unpleasant side to her. I was sidelined."

The former nanny added that while she was on maternity leave at the end of 2007, Heather called and left her a "rude message" asking when she would return to work.

"It was a really horrible, rude message, and it reduced me to tears," she said.

However, Trumble admitted she did ask the ex-model to be godmother to her daughter Lily when she was born in September 2007.

At the hearing, Trumble also told of how her employer had called her to her house in order to record an interview painting her is a positive light.

She said: "I was asked to tell them how wonderful I thought Heather was. She orchestrated it all and I felt I had no option but to take part."

Trumble says she is sad to be bringing the proceedings against Mills as they started off as "friends", even buying the nanny a car in reward for her loyalty.

In a written reference, Paul McCartney described Trumble as 'trustful and reliable'.