LAWYERS representing Next staff in a claim for equal pay have accused the clothes retailer of destroying key documents ahead of the case.

Leigh Day, which is representing 330 members of staff – largely women – who say they have been underpaid, claims that “vital documents needed to help store staff prove their ongoing equal-pay claim” have been destroyed by Next.

“It appears that essential documents to our case have been destroyed,” said barrister Elizabeth George.

“I can say that it is fundamental to a fair hearing of this case that neither side destroy documents that they know – or should know – are highly relevant to the other’s case.”

The lawyers will bring up their claims at a one-day hearing at the Employment Tribunal on January 12 next year. This will decide whether Next should be punished for the potential destruction of the documents.

Staff in Next stores, who are mainly female, say that they are paid between £2 and £6 less per hour than their colleagues in the firm’s warehouses, who are mostly men.

The claimants insist that their jobs are no less demanding than those of the warehouse workers.

“When I was told exactly how much higher the warehouse pay was, I was shocked and angry and felt extremely undervalued,” said one of Leigh Day’s clients, who has asked not to be named.

“To find out now that Next may have destroyed important documents is yet another blow. I feel angry and betrayed and have now lost all respect for the company.”

Leigh Day is also representing workers at Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco and the Co-op who are fighting similar cases against their employers.

Ms George added: “We have one focus: ending the unequal pay that applies between the stores and the warehouses for men and women doing equal work.”

Next has been contacted for comment.