We have today reached a settlement with Michelle Hadaway in relation to the loss of the clothes of her daughter, Karen.

In 1991, Mrs Hadaway entrusted the BBC with the missing clothes on the understanding that they would be forensically examined. The BBC did not examine or return the clothes, and was not subsequently able to find them as a result of searches in 2004 and 2021. We should have taken better care of Karen's clothes and we did not.

We accept that we had a duty of care to Mrs Hadaway and we fell well short of that and we have previously apologised to her privately. We are very sorry.