A CARETAKER who claims she was forced into retirement has pledged to take her former bosses to an employment tribunal for agediscrimination. 

Doreen Scruby, 66, was a caretaker at Brookfield House School for 21 years until she left last week after a long-running battle to keep her job.

She and her husband Dennis, who has lung cancer, are also facing being evicted from their home in the school grounds. 

But their GP has said it is essential the couple remain where they are for Mr Scruby's health. 

Mrs Scruby said: "It's made me ill, I feel unwell because of everything we are going through. 

"I'm fighting for everything. I'm more than capable of continuing to work and I'm really willing but they are discriminating against me because I'm 66 years old." 

She added that the council has given her until October 31 to vacate her three-bedroom bungalow in Alders Avenue, Woodford Green, to make way for a family to move in. 

They have been offered a one-bedroom flat after an application to stay was rejected. 

But the couple hope they will be allowed to stay after their GP wrote a letter saying Mr Gruby must have easy access to fresh air while he recovers from an operation. 

Mrs Gruby added: "I'm so angry, it's thrown our lives up in the air. We are fighting this though, it doesn't end here." 

She added that a part-time janitor and a food lab technician, both over the age of 65, are also battling to continue working at the school. The headmaster, Gary Pocock, was unavailable for comment. 

A Waltham Forest Council spokesman said: "If the couple's previous letter didn't say that the house is essential to the husband's health they do have to submit a fresh application which the council would then consider." 

Article from Waltham Forest Guardian