An aviation expert was forced to quit his job after Arab bosses ordered him to respect Islamic tradition, an employment tribunal heard.

Alan Higman was employed by the United Arab Emirates as an academic advisor at its technical training campus for military staff - the former Northeye prison in Bexhill.

His bosses asked him to relocate to the project's Milton Keynes offices so he could be nearer the Royal Air Force (RAF) Defence College of Aerospace Engineering in Cosford, near Telford.

Mr Higman, who is claiming unfair constructive dismissal, told the tribunal yesterday at St James House in New England Street, Brighton, he believed his bosses wanted him to refrain from drinking alcohol and eating pork in the temporary accommodation being offered to him in Milton Keynes.

Mr Higman said it was totally unrealistic to relocate his family as his wife was a lecturer at Brighton University and they had an 18-month-old daughter who was visiting Royal Sussex County Hospital for a kidney infection.

Mr Higman, who had only recently bought a house in Hove, said he signed the contract for his job in April 2000 on the understanding that a mobility clause referred to occasional overnight stays in other towns but not permanent relocation.

He said: "I was very shocked. I discussed the move with my wife and wrote a letter setting out my reactions to this."

Mr Higman resigned from his £32,000 job in September last year.

He told the tribunal he would only have needed to make two visits to Cosford a month so could have maintained Bexhill as his base.

Paul Maynard, representing UAE Technical Training, told the tribunal it was obvious Cosford would require a great deal more of Mr Higman's attention and his expertise made him the obvious candidate to cover both Milton Keynes and Cosford.

Steven Finney, operations manager at UAE technical project, said Mr Higman was simply asked to respect Islamic culture but there was no request for him to observe it.

He added that no one would have minded Mr Higman consuming alcohol in the house, just not in front of Islamic staff.

Mr Finney said: "It certainly struck me at the time that the claimant's resignation was hasty at best."

Mr Higman has since moved to Cardiff with his family. His wife lectures at Cardiff University but he remains unemployed.

The tribunal continues.