Natwest apologises after a customer who applied for a loan to fund a £400 nutrition course said a bank worker told her 'all vegans should be punched in the face' Handler said he was irked by vegan activists daubing messages near his home Natwest has offered to pay for the course and has offered £185 in compensation 'This individual is no longer in contact with customers or clients,' say Natwest By Leigh Mcmanus For Mailonline Published: 12:57 GMT, 18 February 2019 | Updated: 12:57 GMT, 18 February 2019 Viewcomments Natwest has apologised after a customer who called to apply for a loan was told 'all vegans should be punched in the face'. The woman called the high street bank for money to pay for a £400 qualification in a vegan nutrition course, telling the call handler she was vegan herself. The unnamed caller said the bank worker claimed vegan activists had drawn pictures of animals and written 'friends not food' in chalk on pavements near his home, before going on a shocking rant and rejecting the application. It was then, she says, he then made the comments saying that all vegans should be punched in the face. The Natwest caller was from Bristol and looking for a loan, pictured is the city’s Broadmead branch The bank said his comments were 'wholly inappropriate', with a spokesman saying he had 'listened to the call many times', describing it as 'difficult to listen to'. Natwest has since offered to pay for the course and has offered £185 in compensation. The caller who does not want to be identified, said the handler felt 'vegans were forcing their beliefs on to him', she told BBC Radio Bristol. 'He wasn't happy to be speaking to me at all - his tone was really unpleasant,' she said. 'Being vegan is a lifestyle choice, I shouldn't be penalised for it, especially by a big organisation. It's extremely unfair.' The woman, from Bristol, said the exchange on January 23 made her feel 'really uncomfortable' adding that she 'phoned up to further her education, not about activism.' The woman called the high street bank for money to pay for a £400 qualification in a vegan nutrition course (file image) Reacting to the comments, the director of Viva!, a Bristol-based charity campaigning to end animal suffering said she was 'astonished'. Juliette Gellatly told BBC Radio Bristol: 'I was astonished that somebody would react like that, it was like she'd asked to loan money for something like a peadophile ring or something really dreadful because his response was so extraordinary and unnecessary.' A spokesperson for Natwest interviewed on the station this morning added: 'I have listened to it many times actually and it's incredibly distressing and it's very difficult to listen to this call. 'The comments made by our member of staff are completely unacceptable and I'm really sorry for the inconvenience, the distress we have caused our customer. 'It doesn't represent our culture and the organisation's values. 'We have immediately commenced disciplinary action and a thorough investigation is now happening. We have reached out to the customer to offer compensation. 'This is a completely inappropriate way to deal with any customer. 'This individual (handler) is no longer in contact with customers or clients.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility