A WOMAN has won £60,000 at a tribunal after single-handedly taking on Bradford-based Morrisons.

Donna Patterson, 38, from Wetherby, returned to work at the supermarket giant after her second baby, but her mental health deteriorated after being given a full-time job, despite her working part-time.

Morrisons said it is considering an appeal against the ruling.

Campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed helped Mrs Patterson and shared her story.

They said: “When Donna returned to work after her second baby her employer gave her a full-time job…. despite her working part-time.

“She repeatedly questioned how that was possible; mothers are ridiculously productive but this was beyond ridiculous.

“Not to mention the fact she would still be taking home a part-time salary.”

Morrisons was accused of ‘gaslighting’ the mum-of-two by telling her they had faith she could pull it off.

The group added: “But she didn’t want their flattery, she wanted a realistic workload.

“No one listened. She was left with little choice but to give it her best shot and her mental health deteriorated. The stress was too much to bear, the workload completely unachievable.

“She called our advice line and we encouraged her to go through a grievance process, and then to take legal action against her employer.

“Unfortunately, the legal cover, which came with her house insurance, refused to cover the claim as they said it had little chance of success. So, what did Donna do?! Well, this mother, this mother, with balls of absolute bloody steel, decided she would do it anyway and she would represent herself. “

Mrs Patterson had to cross-examine eight witnesses in a gruelling five-day hearing.

The group added: “But every day she thought about the women who had come before her and the women who would come after.

“She WON. She got a £60k payout and the satisfaction that she forced this ‘family friendly’ employer to air their dirty laundry in public. Hopefully it will make them think twice before they shaft another new mother.

“Thank you, Donna. Thank you for everything. “

Morrisons said it does not accept it acted in an unfair way and it believes “a number of the facts have been misrepresented”.

Thousands of protestors gathered over the weekend, including in West Yorkshire, in a campaign co-ordinated by Pregnant Then Screwed to call for reforms to the childcare sector and parental leave.

Many stood outside Downing Street shouting “Dear Rishi Sunak, we want our choices back” as they protested against unaffordable childcare and parental leave structures.

Protesters held banners reading: “My skills got me hired! My womb got me fired!” and “Affordable childcare now”.