Payback !

A man involved in an employment dispute has had his £1,300 severance pay delivered to him in a crate full of small change weighing 11 stone.

Mr Raine, from Burnhope in County Durham, was expecting a cheque for the balance of his cash award, following an industrial tribunal win.

But the acrimonious split from his bus firm boss, Malcolm Lee, ended with a crate of coins dumped at his door.

Mr Raine, 61, said he intended to seek legal advice to resolve the matter. The delivery came after a protracted wrangle between Mr Raine and his former employer Malcolm Lee, who runs Lee's Coaches in nearby Langley Moor.

Mr Raine said he quit his job in 2005 on medical advice and spent his last days at work on sick leave. He claimed he had been under-paid and was awarded £2,300 at a subsequent industrial tribunal.

He received a cheque for £1,000 and the remaining amount in coins from 1p to 20p.

Mr Raine, who lives with his partner Linda Walker, said he had to call on neighbours to get the crate into his house after it was delivered and left on his doorstep.

Ms Walker said: "A gentleman just knocked on the door and said he had a delivery. Now we have a legal wrangle, because we are not accepting this and as far as we are concerned Mr Lee has not honoured his agreement."

Mr Raine said he had contacted his solicitor to try and resolve the matter.

According to the Royal Mint the following amounts of coins are legal tender in Britain for single transactions: 20p for any amount not exceeding £10; 10p for any amount not exceeding £5; 5p for any amount not exceeding £5; 2p for any amount not exceeding 20p; and 1p for any amount not exceeding 20p.

Mr Lee has made no comment on the matter.