An office worker who claimed she was sacked by her accountancy firm for having an arranged marriage has won a "substantial" out-of-court settlement.

Ayesha Sheikh, 21, alleged that bosses at BDO Stoy Hayward pried into her private life after her parents persuaded her to marry a virtual stranger in Pakistan.

She said that office gossip made her life a misery and a female manager quizzed her about unfounded fears that her new husband would force her to give up work.

Mrs Sheikh, of Battersea, claimed manager Emma Howard reneged on a promise that the firm would pay for her professional training before axing her in what she calls a sham redundancy in December last year.

She said she was the only member of staff in her 120-strong department to be made redundant and her job is now being performed by someone else.

Mrs Sheikh has now settled her employment tribunal claim of unfair dismissal and discrimination on the grounds of race and religion with BDO for an undisclosed sum.

Shortly before it was due to hear the case, the tribunal in central London was told both parties had reached an agreement which would remain confidential.

Mrs Sheikh's lawyer Richard Leong said: "Ayesha is delighted that she got a substantial settlement."

In legal papers submitted to the tribunal, Mrs Sheikh, a Muslim of Pakistani origin, said: "Emma Howard said to me that she would not put me forward for the training because I had an arranged marriage.

"She was concerned that my husband's arrival would interfere with my training. I said that my personal life had no relevancy to my training.

"I believe I was denied training on the grounds of my religion, which includes arranged marriages. I believe the redundancy was a sham in that my job is still being done by another worker."

Mrs Sheikh wed 27-year-old Kaiser Sheikh in Islamabad in December 2004, three months after joining BDO's office in London's Baker Street as a £15,000-a-year administrator.

She said: "I was shocked and nervous at the prospect of marrying someone I had never met before but at the end of the day, arranged marriages are part of my Asian culture and I respect my parents' wishes a lot, so I was prepared to do it. I wanted to make them happy."

BDO and Ms Howard always strongly denied Mrs Sheikh's allegations. They claimed she under-performed in her job and was genuinely redundant in a work reorganisation.

In its formal defence, BDO said: "It is specifically denied that Emma Howard informed Mrs Sheikh that she would not be put forward for the programme because Mrs Sheikh had an arranged marriage.

"The reason given to Mrs Sheikh, which was the true reason for the decision, was that Mrs Sheikh's performance had not reached an acceptable or consistent level.

"BDO denies that Mrs Sheikh's selection for redundancy was a 'sham' and further denies that Mrs Sheikh's role has in effect survived, performed by another employee."