A STORY in The Northern Echo on Thursday said the Methodist Church had issued an apology to victims of former minister John Price, who was jailed this week for abusing four boys.

In fact, the apology to survivors and victims of abuse was in response to an independent review of past safeguarding cases related to the Church from 1950 and not specific to Price's victims.

The comments from 2015 were attributed to the Revd Dr Martyn Atkins, who stood down as secretary of The Methodist Conference that year. The comments were sent to us by The Methodist Church and used in good faith. We apologise for any confusion.