A lesbian Oxford University academic's research contract was not renewed because of her sexuality, a tribunal has been told.

Dr Caitlin Evans claimed that she was also discriminated against and harassed because she was homosexual.

The hearing heard how the 39-year-old was a follower of the Metropolitan Community Church - a Christian faith which reaches out to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

Dr Evans, who has a doctorate in education, psychology and philosophy, began working at the Oxford Learning Institute in September 2006, researching education.

Her one-year contract was not renewed a year later with managers saying her work was "poor" and not up to standard, the tribunal in Reading heard.

Of Irish descent, she also alleged her faith was a factor in the way she was treated as well as her gender and her race.

However, Dr Evans said that the non-renewal was just the end of a series of incidents in which she was discriminated against because she was a lesbian.

"The university has had plenty of opportunity to listen to my grievances and understand there was a problem," she said.

She spoke of the "creation of a hostile working environment" where she was pressured into working outside of the ethics she had practised for 10 years.

Her "Secret Santa" present of maple syrup was wrapped in newspaper containing an article about "love and romance" which she told the tribunal she thought was inappropriate.

The panel was also told that Dr Evans, who lives in Oxford, felt pressurised into attending a "work dinner" off university premises with male colleagues.

"I would have felt safer in a work environment, in a place that I knew," she said.

The tribunal hearing was adjourned pending a decision by the judge as to whether to proceed on Dr Evans' claims of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, sexual discrimination, racial discrimination, unfair dismissal and breach of contract.

The respondents, the University of Oxford, deny the claims.