Stunned customer Roger Titman, from Brixworth, played back a voicemail from the mobile phone giant and heard a call centre worker rudely mocking his surname.

The company had called him back in response to a query about cancelling one of his phone contracts but Mr Titman, 41, was shocked to hear the employee's words.

The voicemail gave him the option of dialling the number back, and when he did it was a recorded message from Vodafone, which the company then denied ever making.

The male employee, who has now been suspended after an investigation was launched, sniggered and was recorded saying: "Titman by name, Titman by nature... you know what he's up to."

Mr Titman, who is an environmental supervisor, had contacted the firm to cancel his £80-a-month Blackberry Storm contract.

He said: "I was horrified to hear the worker taking the mickey. I was told someone would call me back and when I came out of a meeting, I had this voicemail with this guy taking the mickey out of my surname. Obviously he didn't realise it had gone on to answer phone.

"It's my family name and when I was at school, it's something I had to put up with. But when you are an adult you expect more mature behaviour.

"It sounded like he was joking with someone else. I bet he wouldn't have said it to my face. His immaturity really bugged me. I've had this all my life and this is the last straw."

Mr Titman rang Vodafone to complain after getting the minute-long message but a customer services adviser initially did not believe him, stating the call could not have possibly come from the firm.

He added: "It wasn't until six days after my first complaint that they said they would have an internal investigation.

"It was extremely annoying and quite upsetting. At the end of the day, people will take the mickey but taking it from your mates is a bit different than from a stranger.

"All I wanted was a proper apology. They should make sure their workers behave more like adults."

A Vodafone spokeswoman admitted the message was "totally unacceptable", adding: "Vodafone has tracked down the individual involved and he is suspended with immediate effect pending disciplinary action.

"We have apologised to the customer and he has accepted our offer of compensation."