A SHOCKED York businessman was left reeling after discovering an obscene answerphone greeting had been planted on his work mobile phone.

Potential customers calling Acomb-based mini-bus hire firm Fairway Travel were left stunned after hearing the message, which made a disgusting remark about its owner, Dave Baker.

The 58-year-old says he has "no idea" who changed the original greeting on his 02 mobile.

"It sounds like someone who isn't local," he told the Evening Press.

"I don't even know how to activate the voice mail. I was quite shocked because I don't know how many people have heard it. I could have lost customers over this."

One customer, who contacted the Evening Press after hearing the message, said: "I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was obscene."

A spokesman for the 02 Network said: "The voice mail is protected by a PIN card. "Users are initially given a default pin code which contains the same four numbers for everyone.

"We always advise customers to personalise voice mail with their own code as soon as they get it.

"This is a very important security function which would have prevented this unfortunate incident."

A spokesman for telecommunications watchdog ICSTIS said he had never come across the problem before.

"Without someone having the phone to hand I don't see how the voice mail message could have been changed," he said.

"It seems someone has got hold of it somehow without his knowledge. Obviously it's not one of his friends. He should change the greeting as quickly as possible."

Updated: 10:54 Wednesday, April 09, 2003