ABOUT 200 people marched onto Victoria Square calling for justice for two sacked University of Bolton employees.

Led by Damien and Jennifer Markey, who were dismissed for allegedly leaking information to the press about vice chancellor Prof George Holmes, students, lecturers and trade union members took part in a demonstration from Queens Park, past the university to Bolton town centre today.

Protesters, some wearing masks of the vice chancellor, carried banners and called for the for the reinstatement of Mr Markey, a senior lecturer in visual effects, and Mrs Markey, an academic administrator, as they marched into the town centre for the rally.

Leader of the council, Cliff Morris, and other councillors also joined protestors angry at the university’s actions in Victoria Square.

Shoppers stopped to listen to the impassioned speeches in support of the couple, including one from former Bolton West MP Julie Hilling, who was supporting them as members of her constituency.

Third year visual effects student Kate Bagshaw, aged 21, said: “All we want is our lecturer back - the course is not the same without him. We need him to come back.”

Martyn Moss, the University and College Union’s north west regional official, said: “Damien asked me to express his personal thanks for the tremendous support shown today and for the campaign.

“The circumstances of the dismissal of Damien and Jenny are nothing less than shocking.

“The targeting of a senior union representative and his family in this way is the worst, most malicious and vindictive trade union victimisation I have experienced in 15 years of working for my union.

“It’s not just an attack on Damien and it’s not just attack on Damien’s family but on our union.”

Mr Moss reiterated that the two were not the source of the information for press articles “about the vice chancellor’s lifestyle”, a loan of almost £1 million from the university so the vice chancellor could buy a house in Bolton or staff away days.

He added: “At the the other end of Damien’s case relates is contribution that he made at an academic internal subject review meeting about adequate resources for students in the engineering department.

“There is no doubt that there is one person bringing the university into disrepute and that is the vice chancellor George Holmes.

"This now includes the sanctioning of the treatment of Damien and Jenny and has received widespread condemnation from the UK’s academic community, bringing further shame and embarrassment on the university.

"None of this is in the interests of the staff who work at the university, the students, prospective students, for the town of Bolton.

“We will not hesitate to escalate the campaign for justice for Damien and his family.”

Cllr Morris said: “I am here to show my support for the Markeys and against the injustice.”

Ms Hilling described the actions of the university in dismissing the couple as "disgraceful".

She added: "It seems to have taken us back many, many years when a woman gets sacked because of her husband's actions — I do not believe her husband has done anything wrong."

Bernie Gallagher, Bolton branch secretary of Unison, said: “This campaign is not going away, and it is for the board of governors to do what they are there for, provide good governance and scrutiny.”