Vodafone has been offering the ability for its customers to make contactless payments through Android phones for a while now, long before Android Pay made it over to the UK.

Its Vodafone Wallet app has given users the ability to pay for items through Vodafone Pay and the NFC abilities of their phone for more than a year - you just need to add your credit or debit card details during set-up and away you go. And those with a special, free Vodafone NFC-enabled SIM in their devices can even pay for items up to £30 in value with the phone off or out of battery.

Now the same service is open to PayPal accounts. You can assign your PayPal account to Vodafone Wallet and purchase items using PayPal. All you need to do is add your username and password to the app and spend away.

That means Vodafone customers with Android handsets can pay for Tube or bus rides in London, with fees charged to their PayPal accounts. The service can also be used in all stores that also accept contactless payments globally.

While contactless transactions are limited to £30, for a customer's security in case their device has been stolen, pricier purchases are possible through the use of a PIN.

"Our customers told us that being able to use PayPal when making mobile payments was important to them so we’re delighted to now offer this on Vodafone Pay," said Kate Wright, Vodafone UK's head of consumer services.