A leading violinist has been taken to court by his former pupil over an "£80,000" Landolfi violin, amid claims he left her out of pocket after she sold it to him in desperation.

Professor Mateja Marinkovic, a musician and honorary associate at the Royal Academy of Music, has been accused by a former student of giving her an over-valued French violin instead of paying the amount she had asked.

Ruzica West, 36, told the court she had sold him the 18th century Landolfi instrument when "desperate" for cash three years ago.

Ms West, of Ilford, Essex, claims that Prof Marinkovic, formerly her tutor at the Purcell School of Music, a specialist school for musically gifted children in Bushey, Herts, did not pay in full.

She is now suing Prof Marinkovic at Central London County Court claiming the musician, who is currently working in China, left her £12,500 out of pocket.

Prof Marinkovic insists he does not owe his former student a penny, having already handed her £26,000 cash and a replacement violin in exchange for the Landolfi.

Ms West and her mother Olgica West, 61, told Judge Ian Avent she agreed to sell the 250-year-old instrument to Prof Marinkovic in 2016.