DJ's radio ga ga

A radio DJ chatted away for an hour - without realising he had forgotten to press the broadcast button.

Radio Teesside's Andy Greener was effectively talking to himself while his listeners heard a back-up tape of music and jingles.

Mr Greener's witty banter, chat about the news and crucial weather update disappeared into the ether, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Meanwhile, station boss Peter Dixon, listening at home, was trying desperately to alert the presenter on the phone.

Eventually, Mr Dixon got through and only then did the DJ realise the on-air light in the studio was not on.

He took a couple of minutes to compose himself, before pressing the right button and start broadcasting once again.

Mr Greener told the Northern Echo: "I've been doing the show three days a week for ten months and always pressed the button at the right moment. Goodness knows why I forgot this time.

"I thought the show would be going down well. The studio phone kept ringing, but I was too busy talking to answer. I now know that some of the calls were from people pointing out the blunder."

Mr Dixon, the station's only employee, will not fire his "excellent" breakfast show DJ, who is one of 35 volunteers at the station.

He said: "It's quite funny he was talking to himself for an hour. We try to do it in a professional way, but the presenters are all unpaid and they just do it out of dedication."