A Hindu woman has been sacked from her job at Heathrow airport for refusing to remove a religious nose stud.

Amrit Lalji, 40, had worked for Eurest at the airport. She said that she had been wearing the piercing - a mark of her faith - for more than a year until a manager told her to remove it.

She refused and was then suspended before being sacked.

A statement from Eurest said that Mrs Lalji has been advised of company policy, which does not allow jewellery - with the exception of plain wedding rings and sleeper earrings - to be worn while on duty, "on a number of occasions". The statement said: "Mrs Lalji's decision not to return to work without the nose stud contravenes company rules and regulations and she was dismissed."

Mrs Lalji has said that she feels discriminated against and her union, GMB, has said that it will hold talks with Eurest in order to have her reinstated.

Union official Tahir Bhatti told reporters: "The company always knew she would not remove the nose stud and clearly had no problem with this until a manager complained."

Last year, another Heathrow worker Nadia Eweida was suspended by British Airways for wearing a Christian cross, but was later reinstated.

(KMcA)