On Monday we published a court story entitled YMCA hostage takers facing jail. In the story we said two kidnappers subjected their prisoners to acts of degradation and humiliation during an incident at the YMCA centre in Walthamstow.

The story was supplied to the Guardian by an agency, Court News UK, and published by us in good faith.

However, it has since been brought to our attention following a complaint from Forest YMCA that the incident did not in fact take place at any YMCA premises. Court News UK has since admitted a mistake was made by its reporter.

The Guardian has removed the story from its archive and apologises to Forest YMCA for any distress caused.