TWO factory workers from Bournemouth and Poole have proved that David can still beat Goliath.

John House and John Edroff were "victims" of the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York, even though they were at work in Holton Heath - 3,000 miles away from the Twin Towers - that morning.

In less than seven weeks, they had been made redundant by Westwind Air Bearings Ltd.

The downturn in global trading as a result of September 11 was given as the reason for the company announcing 99 redundancies.

The two Johns decided to fight the decision, even though they could not afford a solicitor and had no knowledge of industrial law.

Together, they sued Westwind for unfair dismissal, preparing their own case, "burning the midnight oil", picking up tips from the internet, and arguing it at an employment tribunal hearing in Southampton against a team of lawyers - and won.

Mr Edroff, 53, of Oakdale, who lost a leg years ago in a motorbike accident, said: "I can be bloody-minded when I decide to be, when it's over a principle and something I feel strongly about."

Mr House, 42, of Moordown, Bournemouth, had just become a father for the second time when he lost his job. His son, Joseph, had been born on September 11.

"I was gutted," he said. "Not only did we have a baby to feed and clothe, but we had to find money for Christmas. "It was very bleak, but we didn't mope. We put our heads together and got down to doing something constructive, as much to help others by showing what can be done."

Mr House is no stranger to selfless acts. A few years ago he was featured in the Daily Echo for donating bone marrow to a little boy in America who was suffering from leukaemia. The boy's cancer was cured but he died six months later during an operation from heart-failure.

The tribunal panel, in their written conclusions, criticised Westwind for a lack of proper consultation and failing to disclose relevant documents to the pair.