To its credit, Virgin Radio has acknowledged the seriousness of the complaint received

Richard Hooper, Radio Authority

Callers were invited to ring in and guess the letters which made up a phrase of swearwords. The nine-year-old girl was asked to repeat the phrase three times.

Holmes, a regular on BBC Radio 4's Dead Ringers, was suspended from his job shortly afterwards and was eventually sacked.

'Grave concern'

Virgin's swift action in removing the DJ led to a more lenient fine from the authority, which branded the station's behaviour as "totally unacceptable".

"To its credit, Virgin Radio has acknowledged the seriousness of the complaint received, has made no attempt to excuse the content of the live broadcast and has told us that it has taken steps to prevent this happening again," said Radio Authority chairman Richard Hooper.

But he did express "grave concern" there appeared to be no measures to prevent such a breach of the 1990 Broadcasting Act rules on taste, decency and offence to public feeling.

Mr Hooper stressed the authority would use its "full range of powers" to protect children in a world of changing standards of adult decency.

'Misjudged'

A Virgin spokesman said: "While the nature of this show broadcast after 11pm was irreverent and known for its close to the edge humour, station guidelines were not followed and on this occasion Jon went too far.

"We regret the on-air misjudgement of Jon Holmes and have removed the show from the Virgin Radio schedule."

Virgin Radio was fined �75,000 in 2000 after former presenter and station owner Chris Evans publicly backed Ken Livingstone for mayor, breaching broadcast rules on political impartiality.

He was sacked by the station when he failed to turn up for his show six days in a row.

He claimed he was unwell but was photographed out drinking with his teenage wife Billie Piper.