A TEACHER who was sacked for writing a racy novel about her pupils will fight to clear her name at a forthcoming employment tribunal.

Leonora Rustamova, from Salendine Nook, said she was begged by a group of teenage boys in her English class to write a book about them.

The 40-year-old ended up getting sacked from Calder High School where she worked, faced bankruptcy and was referred to the safeguarding authority to see whether she should be banned from working with children.

Ms Rustamova, known as Miss Rusty to her pupils, claims the whole thing was blown out of proportion and the school in Mytholmroyd unfairly dismissed her.

She said she will fight to be allowed to teach again and clear her name.

Ms Rustamova was sacked from the school near Hebden Bridge when her book Stop! Don’t Read This was published online.

The senior head of year teacher wrote about her pupils having sexual fantasies about her and said she would do anything for a smile from one of them.

The writing contained the names of real-life pupils and was peppered with swear words as she wrote: "It’s getting harder and harder just to see them as kids."Two characters were said to be sunbathing topless "looking like gorgeous Mr Gay UK finalists in an area of Britain where there is some pretty stiff competition".

As the book goes on, pupils skip lessons, steal mobile phones and set themselves on fire.

At the end the boys reveal to the police a drugs store beneath the school, but some cocaine goes missing before officers arrive.

Ms Rustamova wrote: "I suppose the boys had earned a hell of a ritzy summer holiday".

Ms Rustamova, who lives with her 15-year-old daughter Flora, said the fiasco which began in January last year had been an "awful" time.

She said: "I would have been utterly crushed had it not been for the support of the community, my family and all my friends in Hebden Bridge.

"That was the worst time, because I thought these people would stop at nothing, but I realised that there was a fight that needed to be fought.

"That is what kept me going and the belief that I had not done anything wrong to merit their reaction.

"I was a useful, high-profile member of staff – who had just been newly promoted – and this whole situation has been blown up out of all proportion.

"I was cheered the other day when one of my ex-students told me: ‘You have to clear your name because I want you to teach my kids.’"

Ms Rustamova said she will argue her case at an employment tribunal.

She said: "I found a recent pre-tribunal hearing very encouraging. I love teaching, I love kids and I want to carry on with my career.

"Because of the far-reaching ramifications of the sacking I can’t get work without a reference and I have been referred to the independent safeguarding authority to see whether I should be banned from working with children and vulnerable adults – it has not left me with any choice but to go down this path.

"I also firmly believe that what happened to me was a disproportionate response on the part of the school to my mistake of putting the book on the internet. I really want to clear my name.

"At the moment, I am absolutely certain that I am going ahead with this action unless the school is prepared to agree a settlement out of court.

"I want an admission that I was unfairly dismissed and a fair reference so I can carry on with the job I love."