Hull's biggest employer is facing 1,300 equal pay claims, which could end up costing it millions of pounds.

The cases have been lodged by women who either still work for or who used to be employed by Hull City Council.

They are claiming they should have been paid the same as men who received extra bonuses and overtime payments.

Most of the additional payments were made to men in traditionally male-dominated council jobs such as refuse collection and street sweeping.

Women employed mainly in catering, care services and cleaning received only a fixed salary with no extra perks.

About 1,300 cases have been lodged with an employment tribunal in Hull.

A 20-day hearing involving about 1,000 claims has been scheduled for next May.

Solicitor Paul Doran is representing 300 women whose cases are expected to be heard at a further hearing next year. He said the claims stemmed from the introduction of a Single Status agreement aimed at removing wage differentials between men and women working for councils.

He said: "All local authorities signed up to Single Status and were obliged to bring in a new pay structure by 2000, but the vast majority failed to do so."

Mr Doran said bonuses and overtime pay meant workers in male-dominated jobs could earn four times as much as women on the same salary grade.

Last year, the council paid £22.5m to settle the cases of almost 2,000 women. It paid out another £2.5m earlier this year to avoid potentially costly tribunal rulings.

Paul Gordon, the council's head of shared services, said: "Equal pay is a major issue for the council and we are working with all parties involved in equal pay cases to come up with settlements that are fair and reasonable."