THE family of British BP chief Tony Hayward is under police protection because of hate mail and threatening telephone calls.

Mr Hayward's wife Maureen said the mail and calls had made her and her two children feel ''rather uncomfortable'' at their home in Kent.

There has been growing hostility to the company in America in response to the spill, which has so far leaked about 1 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

''Members of my family have had nasty phone calls and we have also had mail from groups,'' Mrs Hayward said. ''Tony is obviously away and we are miles away from him, so it's upsetting.''

Kent police sources confirmed there was an operation involving Mr Hayward's family home, but did not disclose details. The home is protected by a four-metre hedge and has a private access road.