Tonbridge company apologises to jobseeker for 'oddball' comments Published duration 14 May 2017

image caption Ms Jacobs was horrified the company suggested she could be a "left-wing loon tree hugger"

A company has apologised to a graduate jobseeker for calling her a "home educated oddball" in comments accidentally attached to an email.

Anna Jacobs, from Horsmonden, Kent, had applied for a position at Tonbridge-based Tecomak Environmental Services.

But alongside the company's response were comments suggesting she was "worth an interview if only for a laugh".

In an email to Ms Jacobs, Ross Black of Tecomak said he understood it "must have been upsetting" and apologised.

Below the formal invitation for the role of office administrator, the initial e-mail from Tecomak had a number of comments attached.

They included a suggestion she "could be a biscuit short of a packet or a left-wing loon tree hugger", as well as a "home educated oddball".

image caption Miss Jacobs had applied for the position of office administrator

Mr Black said: "Clearly the comments were informal and not to the high professional standard you would expect from a company like ours.

"I understand that it must have been upsetting to read the comments and I apologise on behalf of the company and the employees concerned."

He added: "We genuinely felt your application and CV was interesting and you were shortlisted from a long list of over 40 candidates.

"We would be more than happy to interview you as one of the strongest candidates that have applied and, if you were to accept an interview, you can be assured that your application will be treated fairly and appropriately."

Ms Jacobs told the BBC she would not be attending an interview with Tecomak but had others she needed to focus on.