THREE Gwent lecturers yesterday lost their fight to recoup thousands of pounds in pension payments they claimed they were deliberately not told they were entitled to.

An employment tribunal in Cardiff struck out the group's action for breach of contract against Coleg Gwent and the Secretary of State for Education.

Marilyn Ingleson, of Newport Road, Magor, Gillian Arnold, of Queens Gardens, Magor, and Ruby King, of Chiltern Close, Risca, told the tribunal the college had pursued a deliberate policy of not telling former part-staff they were entitled to back-date pension payments.

The tribunal heard that in May 1995 part-time teachers at the college became eligible to join the Teacher's Superannuat-ion Scheme (TSS) and backdate payments.

But hair and beauty lecturers Mrs Ingleson and Mrs King and business studies lecturer Mrs Arn-old, who had all at some point worked part-time for the college, said they were never told.

They only became aware of the right recently by accident. As a result their pension schemes were worth thousands less than they could be.

Mrs King and Mrs Arn-old still work for the college.

Valerie Jones, human resource adviser at Coleg Gwent, told the tribunal that in April 1995 she received a letter from the TSS informing them of their duty to inform current part-time staff of the change in eligibility.

She said: "As a result, letters were sent out to all part-time staff."

Mrs Jones explained that Mrs King and Mrs Arnold would not have received a letter as at that time they were working full-time.

She added if Mrs Ingle-son had not received a letter it was the result of a genuine mistake.

She said: "No one actively hid or deliberately prevented them from joining the pension scheme."

Speaking after the hearing the group said they were "dumbstruck" by the tribunal's decision.

Mrs King said: "We were not asking for anything we were not entitled to. We worked hard for our employer for years."