Twelve brewery workers at Tadcaster have won their case for unfair dismissal after being caught drinking at work.

Sam Smith's bosses dismissed some of the men who worked in the bottling plant after they were caught drinking on film by hidden cameras. Others resigned.

The men said that although alcohol was banned at work, bosses had turned a blind eye to drinking on the job. The industrial tribunal decided the men had been unfairly dismissed, but found them 50 per cent responsible.

This means that they will only get 50 per cent of any payout, which will probably amount to several thousand pounds each.

The sacked workers were celebrating today, saying that justice had been seen to be done. One of them, James Wilson, 57, of Leeds, said: "I'm overjoyed. We were wrongly dismissed in the first place.

"The original hearing was a sham - the brewery found us guilty before we had a chance to put our case."

Mr Wilson, who has just undergone a heart by-pass operation, said he was now looking for a new job. He said: "I'll be contacting the other lads and arranging a celebration drink. Whether we'll be drinking Sam Smith's beer, I'm not quite sure."

Most of the 12 have found new jobs at Tadcaster, York or Leeds.

Graham Auton, advertising manager at Sam Smith's, confirmed that all 12 positions had been filled following the sackings. He declined to comment on the tribunal's findings.

York solicitor Alan Ware, who is acting for Mr Wilson, said today: "I'm pleased with the decision. The disciplinary procedure undertaken by the brewery was considered to be grossly unfair."

The 12 men had clocked up 194 years' service at Sam Smith's between them.

The men were Andrew Taylor, of Ryther, near Tadcaster; David Watson, of Tadcaster; Alan Telford, of Tadcaster; Mark Simpson, of Islington, near Tadcaster; Anthony Lock, of Aberford, Leeds; Christopher Petkus, of Tadcaster; Wayne Reeves, of Tadcaster; David Wharton, of Leeds; John Young, of York; Rex Harrison, of York; Dennis Brown, of Leeds, and James Wilson, of Leeds.

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