A manager accused of sexism and racism denied making derogatory remarks about Eastern Europeans.

Alex Langley, a line manager at free publication Friday Ad, denied accusations of sex and race discrimination at an employment tribunal in Brighton yesterday.

Friday Ad, based in Sayers Common, Hassocks, and Mr Langley have been taken to the tribunal by Macedonian Violeta Belogaska who was sacked as marketing operations manager for the company last November.

The claims were denied yesterday when the tribunal heard Miss Belogaska, 32, of Wilbury Avenue, Hove, was dismissed because of her behaviour during a meeting in November.

Mr Langley rejected accusations that he made derogatory remarks about Eastern Europeans to Miss Belogaska after he joined the company in September 2004, just two months after she started a job at the offices in Sawyers Common, Hassocks.

He told the tribunal he met with Miss Belogaska last October to raise concerns about her work and denied claims he had told her she was overpaid for an Eastern European.

When she complained to Mr Langley's boss Nick Taylor, Friday Ad's technical director, the three met up weeks later.

Mr Langley said: "I had no previous issues with Miss Belogaska before that meeting but it became clear almost immediately that she wanted an argument.

"It was diabolical and I would liken her behaviour to my six-year-old daughter.

"She flew off the handle and was completely unprofessional in a business environment."

Miss Belogaska returned to work from holiday when she was ordered into a disciplinary meeting chaired by Mr Langley and fired less than an hour later.

She told the tribunal she believed the decision to dismiss her had been made before the hearing, claiming that when she appealed to Rob Patterson, group managing director, he failed to investigate her concerns thoroughly.

Andrew Maynard, representing Miss Belogaska, said: "The alleged reason for the dismissal was totally bogus and it is apparent the company doesn't operate any effective equal opportunities procedure at all."

Tribunal chairman Andrew Hogarth heard how Friday Ad Ltd has no human resources department, with bosses relying on the expertise of an employee at a call centre in Wales to advise Mr Langley before he held the disciplinary meeting with Miss Belogaska.

Mr Hogarth said: "Mr Langley was the witness and judge at the same hearing and held a disciplinary meeting where he was also the line manager and involved in the matter."

A written verdict is expected by the end of the year.