THE owner of a chain of hair salons at the centre of a hairdressing war, has been ordered to pay a second former employee cash for holidays owed.

An industrial tribunal ruled that Peter Moss, of Hilary Hair, Beauty and Fashion, in Durham City, must pay Clare Hodgson £790 for leave she had not taken when she resigned.

Miss Hodgson, who has set up her own mobile business, Hair by Clare, said last night: "I am absolutely delighted with the outcome of the tribunal.

"Quite apart from the money, I wanted to make the point that he cannot treat people this way. It is wrong not to pay money you owe."

Miss Hodgson said she had joined the salon under the Youth Training Scheme, in 1987, and had been given just two weeks paid leave, during the two years she was on the scheme.

But when she decided to stay on with the salon as an "improver" hairdresser, she was told that she would not get paid holiday for the first year, as was then common practice.

The then manageress of the salon had told her that four weeks paid holiday could be taken the following year, and when left she left the company she would be paid the cash in lieu, she said.

Miss Hodgson of Alfreton Close, Durham, who left Hilary Hair, in August 2000, was not awarded cash for commission she claimed she was owed.

In January, another industrial tribunal ordered Mr Moss to pay former manageress Pauline Fairbairn £559, in lieu of holiday she had not taken, as well as overtime owed.

Mrs Fairbairn, who now runs Design C21, in Front Street, Neville's Cross, had worked at Hilary Hair for 22 years, 18 years as manageress.

At that hearing, Mr Moss accused Mrs Fairbairn of poaching his customers, when she left to set up her own business in April 2000.

He said weeks before she had put in her notice she told customers of her move, and after resigning had stood outside his premises to tell customers of her new business.

Mr Moss has said he intends to appeal against the ruling.