A GP who allegedly had a fling with one of her patients and bugged a colleague's surgery has been called before the doctors' professional conduct committee.

Yvonne Hunniford wrote letters supporting housing applications made by the man - known only as Mr B - without mentioning she was in a relationship with him.

Mr B was Dr Hunniford's patient at the Cathedral Medical Group, in Cawley Road, Chichester, for two-and-a-half years until he was removed from her list in May last year.

It is alleged Dr Hunniford's links to Mr B were "improper and inappropriate".

The GP, of Willowbed Drive, Chichester, wrote to Chichester District Council two years ago to support Mr B's application for housing.

It is alleged she misled the council and abused her position by failing to state she was Mr B's GP and was having a relationship with him.

Dr Hunniford appeared before a professional conduct committee in London yesterday accused of an improper relationship with a patient.

She is also accused of compromising patient confidentiality by "assisting, aiding or abetting" in the placing and maintaining of a listening device planted behind a filing cabinet in the consulting room used by her colleague Dr Jeremy Stupple and discovered on February 6 last year.

Dr Hunniford denies professional misconduct and claims the allegations against her came as the result of being "ambushed" by colleagues seeking to have her kicked out of the profession.

Three of her partners in the surgery secretly recorded a meeting in March last year as they fired questions at her about her alleged lover.

Her barrister, Adrian Hopkins, said the recording should be ruled inadmissible.

He said the GP was asked to attend what she thought was a normal practice meeting but in reality her three partners were trying to gain "concrete evidence" against her.

Mr Hopkins said: "They knew in advance the allegations - Mr B was her partner and Dr Hunniford had been complicit in the bugging of a surgery.

"Their purpose was to bring her professional career at that practice to an end, either by resignation or expulsion."

Lynn Griffin, for the General Medical Council, will not open the facts of the case until the committee rules whether the recording can be admitted as evidence.

Dr Hunniford admits a "personal" relationship with Mr B but denies it was "emotional or sexual". She denies serious professional misconduct.

The hearing continues.