The manager of a fan club of one of the world's most famous motor racing teams has admitted some of the remarks he made to a 19-year-old employee were inappropriate.

But Neil Riddell, the manager of Team McLaren Limited - a satellite company of the Formula One racing business - said his behaviour towards warehouse operative Hayley Swanson was only meant as a joke and was not intended to threaten her.

Miss Swanson, 20, of Town End Road, Clayton, has taken the company to an employment tribunal accussing it of unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and victimisation.

At the hearing in Leeds she alleged Mr Riddell made sexual comments to her and touched her back and chest inappropriately a number of times between October 2002 and March 2003.

Yesterday Mr Riddell, of Beverley Rise, Ilkley, denied rubbing Miss Swanson's back while she was alone in the office, saying he tapped her on the shoulder.

"It was just a fleeting touch, just to get her attention and distract her from what she was already doing," he said.

He agreed that touching a velcro strap on her jacket on another occasion was "regrettable" but denied he touched her chest.

He also denied calling her "sexy thing" and "babe".

The tribunal heard from colleagues at the firm, who had signed a joint statement in support of Mr Riddell. Sales co-ordinator Barbara Binns said that when Miss Swanson's mother, Barbara, had contacted her about the allegations, she had not taken them seriously.

She said she felt Miss Swanson had misinterpreted Mr Riddell's behaviour.

She said: "This has been blown out of all proportion. Hayley was never upset by anything Neil said, or anyone else said, she joined in with the banter and the jokes."

Miss Binns told the tribunal that she felt Barbara Swanson was behind the allegations.

The tribunal had heard that Mrs Swanson had set up the fan club business, which had been taken over by Team McLaren Limited in 1999.

Mrs Swanson admitted she resented Mr Riddell but said it was three years ago and she would not use her daughter in that way.

But Miss Binns described Mrs Swanson as "very bitter".

Summing up his case, Team McLaren Limited's representative Chris Quinn said Miss Swanson had been "hypersensitive" to some of the behaviour and had been caught up in a personal vendetta waged by her mother against Mr Riddell.

Miss Swanson's solicitor, Mike Duffay, said his client was forced to hand in her notice because she was frightened by Mr Riddell's actions, and felt that no one in the workplace would support her in the future.

The tribunal has retired to consider its verdict and a decision is expected within the next three weeks.