A ZIMBABWEAN care worker has lost her job in Cambridge, England, after running up a £600 phone bill on her client's phone.

Jane Pandehuni, 48, made calls to her family in Zimbabwe because she was desperate to hear from them after her brother was murdered, a magistrate heard.

At the time of making the £609 worth of calls, she was a live-in carer for Ely resident, Margaret Hardy.

Hardy needed 24- hour care after suffering a massive brain injury in a road accident 10 years ago.

Pandehuni's secret calls were uncovered after Hardy's solicitors noticed a jump in her phone bills.

Delia Matthews, prosecuting, said: "They noticed there had been a significant increase in her phone bills which showed she had been making international calls, which was then brought to the attention of Care Force, Pandehuni's employers.

"After an investigation, Pandehuni told the company she made the calls."

Pandehuni, now of Westcliff- on-Sea, Essex, admitted dishonestly abusing her position as a care worker by causing Hardy financial loss.

Lowri Roberts, mitigating, said exceptional circumstances had led to her client's actions.

She added: "It was never Mrs Pandehuni's intention to hide it - she is not a dishonest woman.

"She was always going to pay it and she had a loving relationship with Mrs Hardy. The phone card that the company provide all staff with was not working and she was desperate to make the calls.

"My client has always worked as a carer, both in Africa and in the UK, and she is sad she can no longer work in the field."

Mary Rone, presiding magistrate, ordered Pandehuni to do 100 hours of work in the community.

Describing it as a serious case of fraud, she also ordered her to pay Hardy £459 in compensation and court costs of £70. - Cambridge Evening News