A BBC radio DJ has been suspended after branding breastfeeding 'unnatural'.

Radio Solent presenter Alex Dyke prompted regular listeners to vent their fury on social media to have him fired after his live broadcast on Wednesday, during which he called breastfeeding “unnatural”.

People have taken to Twitter and Facebook for the “stone age” BBC presenter to resign, sparking national interest across the media.

One even referred to him as “a misogynist pig” on Twitter

The Daily Echo understands the BBC has been inundated with complaints after the DJ said that “librarian-type, moustached” women should not be allowed to breastfeed in public.

A petition, called ‘Alex Dyke, BBC to be taken off air, after ill educated comments about breastfeeding’, has gained over 5,000 signatures already.

During his normal 10am broadcast, he said: “It is 2015. Ladies, mums; we don’t like breastfeeding in public, honestly we don’t. I experienced this yesterday. I was on a bus and there was a lady on this bus. She was quite a big girl and she had a toddler with her. She starts to breastfeed her baby on the bus. I didn’t know where to look. She’s putting me in an embarrassing situation.

“I didn’t really realise what was going on. I just thought she was cuddling a baby and then I looked over and I realised. I wanted to look away but the bus was packed. Breastfeeding is unnatural. I know its natural but it’s kind of unnatural. It’s the kind of thing which should be done in a quiet and private nursery. We don’t want it in public. It was ok in the Stone Age when we knew no better and people didn’t even have their own teeth. A public area is not the place for it. It’s not a great look.”

A spokesperson for the BBC said Mr Dyke has since apologised for his comments on air.

She said:“It has been made clear to Alex that his comments were unacceptable and he has apologised for any offence caused."

Later on Thursday, they released a second statement, which said: “Following unacceptable comments made on air yesterday Alex Dyke has been suspended pending an investigation, so he will not be on air tomorrow.”

Mr Dyke encouraged some callers to phone in.

He said to one woman: “Some women see this as their rite of passage. You wouldn’t get yummy-mummies doing it would you?

Making love is the most natural thing in the world but you wouldn’t do it on the number 15. I blame the earth-mothers, the ones who wear hessian.”

One of his callers, named Peter, responded: “I think it’s a travesty that you’re trying to classify women like that.”

Another caller, Robert of West Wellow, added: “It’s a natural thing, years ago people didn’t take any notice of it. It doesn’t worry me.”

One angry woman said: “The man is clearly uninformed as well as a misogynist. He should not be allowed to spout such inaccurate and offensive idiocy on a publicly funded radio station.

"Shouldn't let people who are uneducated on a particular subject speak about it to a wide audience!"

"This man is revolting with his breastfeeding comments."

Senior policy adviser at NCT Rosemary Dodds said: “We’re disappointed about these outdated, ridiculous and potentially damaging comments.

"No mother should ever be made to feel guilty, judged or ashamed about feeding their baby, whether by breast or bottle.

"Mums feel under enough pressure already about their feeding decisions and they should be fully supported and certainly not looked down on or criticised for simply feeding their child in whichever way they want, in public or in private.

"The Equality Act which became law in 2010 states that mothers cannot be discriminated against, asked to leave a venue or treated unfavourably because they are breastfeeding when out and about in Britain.

"This is something we campaigned for over a number of years as mums should be able to feed their babies whenever and wherever they need to.”