A Bradford-born theatre director told a High Court judge yesterday of her "bitterness" that she was not given credit for her part in writing a smash hit West End play.

Pam Brighton told the court that she played a full part in the writing of Stones In His Pockets which is still playing at London's New Ambassador Theatre.

Mr Justice Park's task is to decide a case in which Marie Jones, who penned what has become one of Ireland's most successful stage plays, is being sued by Mrs Brighton.

Mrs Brighton and Miss Jones, were both present in court, sitting just feet apart with their lawyers at the front of the courtroom.

Opening the case, Keith Garnett QC for Mrs Brighton, said the play at the centre of the case was first mounted by the small theatrical production company, DubbelJoint, in Belfast in 1996.

Mrs Brighton's case is that she is the joint author and joint owner of copyright with Miss Jones of the original 1996 script and also that she is the author and owner of copyright in certain notes which she says were reproduced in the 1996 play.

She claims that a later version of the play - the 1999 script - was written by Miss Jones which reproduces a "substantial" part of the 1996 play.

She told the court: "I was depressed and I also felt quite bitter that I made such a big contribution to Stones that had not been acknowledged."

Among those who have already watched the multi-million pound grossing comedy - about two extras working on a Hollywood film which is being shot in County Kerry - are the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles, Cherie Blair, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks and Madonna.

Mrs Brighton, a former pupil of Bradford's former Grange Grammar School who grew up in the city, formed the Belfast company in 1991 with Miss Jones.

Mrs Brighton, whose parents lived in Draughton Street, Bankfoot, first became involved in Bradford's Amateur Group Theatre in the 1960s while she was studying at the London School of Economics.

Mrs Brighton, artistic director of DubbelJoint, told the court she and Marie Jones had enjoyed a close creative relationship.

She agreed with Andrew Sutcliffe QC, for Miss Jones, that by the time DubbelJoint was founded in 1991 Miss Jones was already an established writer. Mrs Brighton, who started directing in 1969, said Miss Jones was "an extremely good writer".

Referring to their relationship at DubbelJoint, she said that "someone described Marie and I as joined at the hip creatively".

She said: "During that period Marie and I were incredibly close creatively. I have never had such a close relationship with a writer that I had with Marie Jones."

Mrs Brighton said she recalled being told Stones was being put on at The Lyric in Belfast. By that stage she was "so depressed" about what had happened to their relationship.

By the time the play moved into the West End, she said: "I was incredibly hurt - people were constantly phoning me up saying 'I read an interview with Marie and she never mentioned you'."

She said: "I was very upset by then. This had been a very important relationship to me. I felt there had been a real attempt to rewrite history."

The hearing continues.