Beauty salon model: 'My millionaire boss branded me a nymphomaniac on Facebook'

When she landed the position of manageress of an upmarket beauty salon, model and former TV presenter Sarah Whitefoot was delighted.

She looked forward to passing on her beauty tips and treatments to the well-heeled footballers' wives in their exclusive village.

But as soon as she started her new job the 6ft blonde, a trained beautician, found herself on the end of some unwelcome attention.

Her millionaire boss, Nicholas Ellis, 32, began repeatedly texting her and inviting her out for drinks with his friends.

As well as making suggestive remarks by text, Ellis referred to her as a 'nympho' on the Facebook internet site.

And to celebrate a successful first week, the businessman bought Miss Whitefoot, 28, a special gift - a glass sex toy.

An angry Miss Whitefoot, who has worked on Sky Sports and MTV, decided to take action against the sex pest.

She showed the text messages to his fiancee of eight years, Leanne Boyd, who promptly dumped her husband-to-be.

Ellis, who also owns a caravan park, restaurant and gift shop, then fired Miss Whitefoot in a final text message.

Yesterday Ellis appeared at an employment tribunal in Manchester to face claims of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and unfair dismissal.

But before the hearing could get under way the Bentley-driving businessman left after admitting harassing the former manageress of the Belisano beauty salon in Hale, Cheshire.

Sarah Whitefoot who agreed to settle out of court for more than £10,000: 'This whole experience has really knocked my confidence and really scared me.'

Angry: Miss Whitefoot showed the lewd texts to Ellis's fiancee

Ellis, whose five-bedroom detached house in Nantwich is up for sale for £1.25million, agreed to settle out of court for more than £10,000.

Miss Whitefoot, of Warrington, Cheshire, said she had worked at the salon under a previous owner.

But when Ellis and his family bought the firm she applied for the post of manageress and was interviewed twice by the businessman and his fiancee before landing the job.

She said: 'Problems occurred within the first week. He treated me like a sex object. He handed me an unsavoury item of a glass sex toy and started to text me to death, but I didn't reply. He asked me to go out to bars with him and his mates, but to not tell Leanne.'

He constantly referred to her as 'babe' and put smiley faces and inappropriate kisses in texts. One text read: 'If u look after me I'll look after u.'

He also took a mobile phone photograph of her, which he forwarded to his friends with the question: 'Fancy a full massage?'

But sick of his harassment, Miss Whitefoot said she showed the lewd texts to Ellis's fiancee, who ended their relationship.

She said: 'I was then sacked by text by Nick after Leanne found out.

The Belisano salon where Sarah Whitefoot worked

'This whole experience has really knocked my confidence and really scared me - I don't want to work for anyone ever again. Beauty is my passion, but Nick Ellis has really hurt me by what he did.'

Her solicitor, Jonathan Whittaker, said: 'Sarah is delighted that Nick Ellis recognised and compensated her for the unacceptable way he behaved towards her.'

Ellis's solicitor, Peter Maratos, said: 'I cannot speak for Mr Ellis but I have no comment to make.'