A former milkman said he "could have had Claudia Schiffer" for the money he'd spent on his blonde neighbour, a Court heard.

David Longbottom, 60, of Hatchett Lane, Oakenshaw, gave Debbie Rymer £30,000 to buy herself a cottage at Riding Lane, Shelf, and paid out another £20,000 on renovations.

She understood the money was a gift but he now claims it was only a loan and is suing her to get it back.

In evidence at Bradford County Court, Mrs Rymer said Mr Longbottom had been a sympathetic friend when her marriage broke up, but his behaviour had become more aggressive once she had got the keys to her new home.

"He began to discuss his sex life with his partner Irene and said she was going through the menopause and it had lasted ten years. It got so I was terrified when I heard his wagon coming up the road," she said.

"He said I had to repay him in sexual favours and he said he could have had Claudia Schiffer for the amount of money he'd paid out."

Matters came to a head when she told Mr Longbottom that she had a new lover, Tony Scaife, who was sitting outside the house in a Jaguar car.

"He went absolutely berserk and said, 'How can I compete with him outside who is younger and has a fancy car?'

"He said I had spoiled his plans. He was furious and he said he didn't want Tony riding in on his back," she said.

Asked by Judge Arthur Hutchinson QC if she felt any moral obligation to pay Mr Longbottom back, she replied that she didn't know.

Mrs Rymer admitted: "I was stupid. This has caused such a lot of problems and pain."

Cross examining her, Mr Longbottom's counsel, Martin Wood, said: "At some stage you realised you had considerable hold over Mr Longbottom and you realised you could tap him for money. You knew how to get money out of him and you did it continuously and ruthlessly. You are telling outrageous lies to embarrass and humiliate him.

"You could sell the house and give him the £30,000 back."

Mrs Rymer replied: "I have made my home there."

Her solicitor, Roger Seddon, said: "This isn't the first time an older man has spent a large amount of money on a younger woman in the hope of something more and it won't be the last, but it doesn't mean there was an agreement for a loan. It's hard to believe that a man would give away as much as £53,000 without any kind of security but it's equally hard to believe he would lend it with no written agreement, not even an IOU. He isn't nave about money."

He added: "My client may be considered immoral but that's a matter for her conscience, not this court.''

He claimed Mr Longbottom had hoped for more from this lady, hadn't got it and was now trying to make out it was a loan.

Judge Hutchinson reserved judgement in the case.

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