A radio station which played a song with "prolonged sounds of sexual moaning" at 8.20am has been told it breached broadcasting rules.

Communications regulator Ofcom said French Kiss by Lil Louis was "not appropriately scheduled" when it was played at a "time when children were particularly likely to be listening to the radio" by Caroline Community Radio.

The track contained no lyrics but included "prolonged sounds of sexual moaning lasting two minutes and 20 seconds".

The Essex station's licensee said it had been in the process of transferring its music library from one computer system to another.

As a result, it said that "some scheduling restrictions that it had applied to songs had not been carried across to the new system".

A report said the licensee "did not wish to offend its listeners and confirmed that it was undertaking a review of its database to ensure all song information is correct".

Ofcom said it took into account representations that "given the radio station's target audience, the likelihood of children listening was low".

However, it ruled that Caroline Community Radio - which broadcasts in Maldon - was in breach of rule 1.3 of the Broadcasting Code.

The rule states that "children must...be protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them".

Caroline Community Radio is an independent organisation but has connections to the famous formerly ship-based pirate radio station Radio Caroline, including use of its name.

A number of its volunteers also worked on Radio Caroline.