Australia's Catholic Church apologised yesterday to British children who were abused in church-run orphanages after being sent to Australia during and after the Second World War.

Catholic Church spokesman Tony Shanahan told an Australian government inquiry into child migration that the experience had profoundly affected the lives of many men and women.

"We are painfully aware that some children suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse and this is a source of deep shame and regret for us.

"We are sorry that some of those vulnerable children who should have found care and protection in our Catholic institutions suffered abuse," he said.

Mr Shanahan said it was right for the Church to apologise even if the treatment of the children had been the result of good intentions and that the "hurtful consequences" were unintended.

Some 10,000 British children were sent to Australia about 50 years ago in a co-operative migration effort with Britain. The policy was partly driven by Australia's need for immigrants.

In 1998, the British Government held an inquiry into the treatment of children sent to Australia, New Zealand and Canada which found that many were abused. It set up an £800,000 fund to help pay for family reunions.

For more information on child migrants see the Child Migrants Trust website.