A MAN has criticised an energy supplier after claiming an ambiguous message they left on his telephone answering machine.

Mark Giles, aged 41, of Tonge Moor Road, Bolton, was left a message by what he thought was the police asking him to contact a number left on his answerphone as soon as possible.

Mr Giles said: "When I got the message I rang the number immediately, as I thought it might be something to do with my father-in-law, who is very poorly.

"But when the person answered, I was told I had contacted TXU Energi. I was very confused at first, but then the representative told me that I owed them money, which I didn't dispute.

"I was angry that the message that was left confused me enough to make me think it was the police."

Mr Giles, who owns Mr G's Restaurant in Tonge Moor, contacted the company, which supplies gas and electricity, and reported the incident. A customer services officer visited his home and listened to the message several times.

A TXU Energi spokesman said the official eventually realised that the message had been left by a debt collection agency, saying "please call", not "the police called".

He said: "Our intention was to say 'please call'. It was certainly not our intention to say that the police had called.

"We apologise unreservedly for any distress caused to the customer. We had tried to contact him several times because money was owed. A phone call was the next logical step. We will be reminding people to use clear diction when leaving messages in future."