The Bishop of Lincoln, Rt Rev Stephen Conway, has apologised for his failure to act on abuse allegations against the late barrister John Smyth, following recent calls for his resignation.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, Conway said he was "deeply sorry” for not pushing Lambeth “more rigorously” after reporting allegations against John Smyth in 2013 while he was Bishop of Ely.

Bishop Conway acknowledged that, although he followed the safeguarding policies at the time, he could have taken “further actions” and added: “I believed I had done all I could and that the allegations were being handled appropriately.”

He emphasised his commitment to the best safeguarding practices and to supporting survivors.

The bishop’s statement comes amid wider fallout from the Makin Report, which highlighted serious safeguarding failures within the Church.

The Independent described John Smyth as the Church of England’s most prolific serial abuser – with around 130 victims over four decades.

On Tuesday, Archbishop Justin Welby resigned after the report found he had failed to properly handle Smyth’s abuse cases.

Numerous survivors and church leaders have called for a complete overhaul of the Church’s approach to safeguarding, to rebuild trust and prioritise victims.