A WOMAN from Hong Kong has spent eight years tracking down a man she says owes her nearly £50,000.

The extraordinary search has led Manda Leung, 32, half way round the world to Ealing and to Conservative councillor Edmond Yeo - her former boss who she finally found via the internet.

The Ealing Times can exclusively reveal that in 2000 a High Court in Hong Kong ordered Cllr Yeo pay the foreign exchange worker 302,000 Hong Kong dollars - around £28,000 - with an interest of 11.54 per cent a year.

The judgement was made in default after Cllr Yeo failed to answer the claim.

But more than six years on Ms Leung has received no money and enlisted the help of the Ealing Times.

However, Cllr Yeo said he had not been aware of the court order (of which the Ealing Times has obtained a copy) and had always been "open and transparent".

He said he did not owe Ms Leung any money.

Speaking to the Ealing Times, Ms Leung said she lent the money to Cllr Yeo in 1996 when he, as her boss at a foreign exchange organisation called Chequepoint, persuaded her and some other staff to join a new business he had set up.

The loan was to help in a court case against their previous company, she said.

"I am too young and thinking that I may able to help to relieve his problems," she said. "So I asked my parents and some credit companies to borrow money and loan to Edmond at a condition of interest-free.

"At the time, he signed a personal borrowing note to me.

"At the end of the second year the business is worse. There is no money for paying rent and some staff's salary and of course, no payment back on my personal debt, not even ten cents."

But having spent the last eight years trying to find the Perivale Ward councillor and paying off credit card bills, she is hoping the legal order from the High Court will force Cllr Yeo to pay the money she claims is owed.

Ms Leung resigned from the company, but in 2000 she sought a permanent High Court judgement to secure the repayment.

However, despite the order, Ms Leung and the courts were unable to trace Cllr Yeo.

"I sought help from a solicitor to see if I could do something," she said. "But he told me it would involve lots of money to get court orders executed if the defendant is missing with no location.

"So I gave up since I do not have that huge money."

For the High Court order to be executed, Cllr Yeo has to be present in Hong Kong.

"And in these years 1998 to 2006, I can do nothing except pay for credit cards loan for Edmond and cry for such silly behaviour of lending a loan," she continued.

But in July this year, Ms Leung discovered Cllr Yeo on the internet. "I was surprised and got verified this guy is Edmond Yeo, the one who owed me money," she said.

"I am angry and frustrated. I have been paying off for the debts to the credit card company for eight years."

Cllr Yeo told the Ealing Times the allegations had to do with "some business before I was a councillor". He said: "It is in the hands of the lawyers. The council leader and people are aware of it. I was not aware of it (the High Court order) until later. UK police and police in Hong Kong are dealing with this."

The Ealing Times has learned that Cllr Yeo actually wrote to Ms Leung on September 1, asking for her lawyer's details.

But Ms Leung said she simply cannot afford to have more legal representation. She explained: "I don't know why a personal borrowing contract, which has been verified by court, should be related to any further legal cases. I really have no more money to spend."

In response, Cllr Yeo has now claimed he is being "blackmailed" by Ms Leung.

Chris Mullally, of Ealing Police, said: "This matter was reported to police by a 47-year-old male on September 4. The allegation relates to a financial dispute between the victim and a 32-year-old female, who were involved in a failed business venture in the 90s."

Leader of Ealing Council Cllr Jason Stacey confirmed Cllr Yeo had informed him of the case. "I have spoken to Edmond about it and he denies owing her money," he said. "He is going through a legal process involving police and solicitors and we will see what comes at the end of it."

Cllr Stacey added: "We are all faced with allegations but the end result is: is it true?"

The Ealing Times can also reveal Cllr Yeo was referred to the Standards Board on September 22 over this issue, but it said the matter had not been pursued.