Being a Borat lookalike is beyond a joke, says lifeguard

But that hasn't stopped colleagues and children taunting lifeguard Martin McAndrews about his resemblance to Borat.

The 31-year-old has endured months of verbal abuse from staff and youngsters who have compared his distinctive moustache and thick dark hair to the spoof Kazakh TV reporter played by Sacha Baron Cohen.

Now an investigation into bullying has begun at the sports centre where he works after videos of him working and picking his nose were posted on the YouTube website under the heading "Borat lookalike".

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Lifeguard Martin McAndrews (right) and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's character Borat (left)

The taunts started after the release last November of Baron Cohen's spoof documentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

A gang of teenagers who regularly visit Swallows Leisure Centre in Sittingbourne, Kent, began yelling catchphrases from the movie and upsetting Mr McAndrews with foul-mouthed rants comparing the lifeguard's bright clothing and moustache to the hapless Borat.

The bullying campaign is said to have intensified when his colleagues joined in and posted offensive comments on the Internet.

Clips of the lifeguard filmed without his knowledge have now been viewed more than 1,500 times on YouTube.

Among the mocking comments left by viewers, a male colleague wrote: "I work with him and I pushed him into the lockers the other day, ha ha!"

Yesterday, friends revealed that the jokes have deeply upset Mr McAndrews.

One said: "He is absolutely sick of the catchphrases, the worst ones are "sexy time", "jagshemash" and "it is nice".

"These kids think they are hilarious but it has really upset him. Martin's doing an important job looking after the safety of everyone at the swimming pool, so these louts are putting people's lives at risk."

But the abuse shows no sign of slowing; his tormentors are challenging each other online to shoot more footage.

Mr McAndrews, who is being offered counselling by the council-run leisure centre, said: "I just want to drop the whole Borat thing. I've had enough of it. I don't have any further comment to make."

Circo, the firm contracted to run the Swallows centre by Swale council, has promised to investigate the bullying complaints.

Director of leisure Ian Phelps said: "This is totally unacceptable. We take this kind of thing very seriously.

"I have referred this to the centre manager and there will be an investigation."

The Borat movie caused a storm of protest from Kazakhstan when it opened.

The 'documentary' follows Borat around America as he depicts his homeland as a nation of misogynists, racists and anti-Semites.

To publicise the film, Cambridge-educated Baron Cohen wore a lime green thong swimsuit for the premiere at Cannes.

He is now being sued by some of those who unwittingly featured in the box office smash who say they have been exposed to public ridicule.