A page three apology in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph has failed to win over Grimsby Town FC - and the paper's football writer is still banned from Boundary Park.

The paper made the first move to improve relations between the two sides after the club took exception to a front page article that described how ambulance cover would be withdrawn from matches with a gate of fewer than 5,000.

Editor Michelle Lalor said that a clarification of what was wrong in the original article and an apology for that had been printed - as well as further background information to put the paper's claims into context.

She said: "We have had to hold our hands up and apologise but the club hasn't accepted the statement and doesn't agree with it - another letter is on its way to us from Grimsby Town."

Reporter Stuart Rowson is still banned from the ground but the paper maintained the original thrust of its story was correct and saw no reason for the continued action against him.

Part of the paper's statement said: "Following yesterday's letter, the Telegraph remains firm that the basis of the front page article was correct - Grimsby Town Football Club has chosen not to pay for ambulance cover at home matches with gates of less than 5,000. During most of the season in Division One, ambulance cover would have to have been paid for as gates were larger.

"The original article did state that the club did not have to provide the cover by law and was quite within its rights to not pay for ambulance cover at matches with crowds of under 5,000. It also featured quite a lengthy comment from senior Grimsby Town executive, accounts manager, Steve Wraith, who had every opportunity to explain the situation clearly or refer the matter to the chairman, Peter Furneaux.

"The paper now accepts that other clubs follow the same lines and, indeed, ambulance cover is not provided at the neighbouring grounds in Lincoln and Scunthorpe when crowds are not likely to exceed 5,000. This was a reporting error for which we apologise.

"We are also happy to point out that the above has been standard practice for the last 15 years and when the ambulance is paid for, it is there for the safety of the crowd and not the players. If a player is injured another ambulance is called."

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