A WALKER'S crisp worker with a chronic stammer needed psychiatric treatment after being forced to speak in public by his bosses, an industrial tribunal heard today.

Kevin Alderson, 40, told how he was bullied and humiliated so much that he quit his job of 23 years.

Married father-of-two Mr Alderson had worked for Walkers since 1977 at their factory in Peterlee, County Durham.

He described how line manager Mary King frequently reduced him to tears with her bullying.

The trouble started when packaging technician Mr Alderson was asked to join in a role-playing exercise and verbal presentation in July 1999.

He told his line manager he did not want to take part because he was embarrassed over his stammer but she bullied him into taking part.

In a statement read to the Newcastle tribunal, he said: "I was totally embarrassed and other colleagues were smirking at me, making my embarrassment even worse.

"Colleagues told me that they had felt embarrassed for me and I should not have had to do what I did."

He described two incidents where he was belittled and had his work criticised for no reason and described how Mrs King turned her back on him when he struggled to reply to her questions.

In his statement, Mr Alderson said: "It was verbal anguish I have never experienced before. I was driven to the point that every drop of self-esteem and confidence I had was taken from me.

"On one occasion I was reduced to tears by her bullying. I felt absolutely humiliated, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die."

Mr Alderson complained about his treatment but after an investigation bosses told him they would take no further action.

He said he then had no choice but to walk out of his £16,000-a-year job in May last year, launching a claim for constructive dismissal.

Mr Alderson, of Easington Colliery, County Durham, added: "It effected my family life and my marriage suffered, I took my problems out on my kids and I am still suffering mental health problems because of what happened to me due to the stress and anguish over the terrible bullying I have suffered."

The tribunal continues.

Updated: 17.45 Monday, July 2