A postwoman dubbed Miss Hotpants by male colleagues has told how sexual taunts forced her to quit her job.

Stacy Micklethwaite, 23, of Upper Shoreham Road in Shoreham, spoke out after five postal workers were sacked in relation to the allegations last week.

The mother of a two-year-old son said she was subjected to ten months of abuse by male colleagues at the Royal Mail sorting office in Denmark Villas, Hove, after returning from maternity leave in February last year.

She alleged that instances of sexual harassment included being rubbed against and having suggestive remarks addressed to her.

She said she was nicknamed Miss Hotpants after she wore a pair of shorts on a hot day last summer.

Royal Mail suspended eight staff on full pay in January and confirmed last Thursday that five of the men had been dismissed following allegations of bullying and harassment.

Ms Micklethwaite told the Daily Mirror: "It never stopped. You shouldn't have to suffer what I did.

"I was always being goaded by people who wanted my attention. At first, it was men asking me to go home with them. But things got worse.

"It was just like a boys' club in there. I was one of only ten women in about 150 men.

"I expected it to be difficult, and wouldn't have minded the odd comment.

"I felt I was being intimidated all the time. I made a great effort to stay in shape but I never deserved all that."

She complained a manager provocatively rubbed up against her and that she received a suggestive card from another colleague.

Ms Micklethwaite has not worked at the sorting office since last December.

Royal Mail's diversity director Ninian Le Blanc said bullying and harassment was "totally unacceptable".

She said: "Royal Mail is working hard to eradicate all forms of bullying and harassment in the workplace and we are determined to offer full support to anyone suffering harassment.

"The vast majority of our workforce do not experience these issues but any case is one too many and we will not rest until all instances of bullying and harassment are swiftly eradicated and dealt with.

"This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable and anyone found to have been involved will be subject to our rigorous disciplinary process and the ringleaders dismissed."