Ageism in the workplace is becoming an all too frequent occurrence.

Record numbers of people are taking age discrimination cases to employment tribunals - figures show cases have quadrupled in just three years.

And as unemployment figures in Coventry and Warwickshire rise and the region braces itself for public sector cuts, the battle against ageism could intensify.

According to a survey, anyone made redundant after the age of 45, who is then out of work for longer than six months, only stands a one in ten chance of ever being employed again.

This could be why one Warwickshire business is defying the downturn.

Cawston Manor Clinic opened its doors in March and in just six months, the owners of the Rugby business have been amazed by the number of customers opting for cosmetic treatments in a bid to keep pace with younger colleagues or compete for jobs.

The number of women in their 40s and 50s seeking non-surgical cosmetic enhancement in the form of Botox and fillers has risen by 200 per cent and is set to rise further in the coming year.

The clinic's Dr Andrew Greenwood said: "It is indeed a competitive world. It's not about making a 50-year-old woman look 20, but about making them look good for the age they are and about making them feel good about themselves.

"We are seeing an increasing number of women wanting to go back to work after bringing up a family, or others who are looking for a promotion. But they feel that in spite of having the experience and expertise they are unable to compete against younger applicants."

The Chartered Management Institute and the Chartered Institute Of Personnel And Development, in the same recent study of age discrimination, found that nearly six out of ten respondents felt they had been disadvantaged at work because of age discrimination. The survey revealed that the best promotion prospects came from those aged 30 to 39, while opportunities fell away dramatically for the over 50s.

Recently senior NHS manager Linda Sturdy won record damages for injury to her feelings after she was rejected for a new job by her trust because she was 56.

Also, according to the Office of National Statistics more women than ever before are going to work. And the ONS has now standardised the working age for women to 16 to 64 (as opposed to 59) - the same as men - adding 9,000 to the working age population in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Dr Greenwood added: "Women and men are under tremendous pressure to look good.

"Whereas ten years ago a change of hairstyle or a new outfit would do the trick, this is no longer sufficient. Non-invasive cosmetic treatments are now becoming a part of a regular beauty routine for some people."

According to the clinic, women in particular do not want to be judged old before their time. A survey in the UK revealed that women are most likely to be judged as being 'older' when they hit 50 to 54, whereas men do not reach that milestone until they are aged between 60 and 64.

Most intriguingly, this gender gap appears to be widening - ten years previously a similar study put the gap at only three years.

Dr Greenwood believes that facial ageing can often coincide with changes of direction in life and in people's careers.

He said: "Men and women from all walks of life come to seek my advice on how they can feel more youthful, look fresher and less tired. More often than not results can be achieved by some very simple procedures but the result in terms of appearance and self-esteem is incredible."

The owners of Cawston Manor Clinic spent more than pounds 1 million to get the place up and running. Its procedures including Botox, dermal fillers designed to smooth and soften lines. These procedures are proving popular because they are not radical - meaning there's less chance of a sudden, major change to someone's looks.

Injecting chemicals into the skin is also less expensive than surgery.

And Dr Greenwood added: "For people wanting fast results with little or no recovery time then injectables are perfect.

"Treatments can be carried out quickly, improvements are often seen immediately and there are no tell-tale scars to worry about."

Dr Greenwood says there's increasing pressure on women to look good. So many women in the public eye are line-free that every time women pick up a magazine, turn on the television or watch a film they see women of equal age or older looking years younger.

He added: "Helen Mirren, Kylie Minogue, Lulu, Amanda Holden - the list is endless.

"Women are constantly faced with image after image of women - and indeed increasingly men - who are unlined and therefore forced to compare themselves with them.

"And in the face of such constant surveillance, it's not surprising that women want to erase the marks of time."

"Everyone wants to look their best, to be seen as young and beautiful for as long as possible and that desire can be achieved with little time or fuss."

Article from Coventry Telegraph