The Metropolitan Police which is leading the probe into phone hacking at the News of the World has today insisted the names of the two investigations, Elveden and Weeting, were 'randomly generated'.

Andy Hayman, who headed up Norfolk Constabulary between 2002 and 2005, left Norfolk to become the assistant commissioner for specialist operations at the Metropolitan Police and was in charge of the original police inquiry into phone hacking.

Mr Hayman, who was later employed by News International title The Times as a columnist, resigned from the service in December 2007, following allegations about expense claims and alleged improper conduct with a female member of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and a female sergeant.

But speculation the names of the current phone hacking investigations had anything to do with Mr Hayman have been denied.

A spokesman said: 'They are randomly generated by computer. It's not unheard of for operations to be place names.'

Last month Mr Hayman was quizzed by MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee about phone hacking.