A SALISBURY man has been sacked from his cleaning job at a New Forest holiday centre after helping himself to headache tablets to ease a blinding migraine.

Steve Carlson, who worked as a site cleaner at Sandy Balls Holiday Centre at Godshill, says he took just two aspirin - but bosses at the holiday complex claim a whole box went missing and sacked him.

Mr Carlson (23) lives in Essex Square, Harnham, with his fiance Kelly, who is also a cleaner at Sandy Balls. He had worked at the centre with an unblemished disciplinary record for more than two years before his dismissal on grounds of theft last week.

Mr Carlson suffers with headaches due to tension in redeveloping neck muscles following a swimming accident last year, in which he broke his neck.

He said: "I do suffer with headaches on occasion because of my accident and on this particular day I arrived at work at 6am with such an awful headache that my vision was blurred.

"I got a packet of aspirin out of the store cupboard and took two tablets, so I could get on with my work.

"I didn't think it would be a problem as this sort of thing often happens around the park. I couldn't believe it when they said they'd have to let me go.

Andrew Howe, managing director of Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, confirmed that the cleaner had left the company. He said: "An employee removed property without permission and was dismissed.

"A box of painkillers was taken and company property is company property. The rule is the same for everyone.

"We gave Mr Carlson ample opportunity to come forward. If he had come to us between the incident on Thursday and the following Tuesday when he was dismissed, we would have been more understanding."