Two Halfords staff have been dismissed after they phoned a customer to confirm a booking - but forgot to hang up the phone and proceeded to leave racist abuse on his voicemail.

The pair, who worked at the Halfords Autocentre in Grays, Essex, failed to hang up and continued to have a conversation talking about how they had a 'problem with Africans'.

They said the young man, who had an African surname, was 'the sort of person who would drive to Aldi for a f***ing bog roll' after he had accepted the store's free car check.

Two members of staff have lost their jobs from the Halfords Autocentre in Grays, Essex (pictured), after leaving racist abuse on a customer's voicemail without realising

The pair were the subject of an investigation and Halfords had been due to dismiss them - however one resigned.

The victim told The Mirror he 'listened in disbelief' as the pair said: 'Something for nothing is all they want, those people.'

The female staff member added: 'My boyfriend, he hates them African people.

'They are the worst when it comes to money.'

The customer, a 20-year-old economics student, told Alan Selby of The Mirror: 'I'd already been to the store and it seemed they didn't want to deal with me. When I heard the voicemail, I realised why.'

He then went to the centre to confront the pair and threatened to take further action.

They confessed to a regional manager and Halfords offered the customer a free service and a set of tyres.

He told The Mirror Halfords had tired to buy him off.

A spokesman for Halfords Autocentres said: 'We have a zero-tolerance policy towards racist behaviour and both colleagues were suspended pending investigation.

'Following a hearing one was dismissed and the other resigned prior to being dismissed.