German bishop offers to resign

A leading conservative Roman Catholic bishop in Germany has written to Pope Benedict XVI offering to resign amid persistent allegations of physical abuse and financial misconduct, the Augsburg diocese said today.

Bishop Walter Mixa wrote a letter to the Pope yesterday offering to step down in the hope of allowing a "new start" for his diocese, the Augsburg diocese said in a statement. He said he would co-operate fully with investigators and offered an apology.