Bah! Humbug! Bishop condemned for telling children there is no Santa

(David Cheskin/PA)

A Roman Catholic diocese in Italy has apologised to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus does not exist.

In a Facebook post and subsequent comments on Friday, the diocese of Noto in Sicily insisted that Bishop Antonio Stagliano did not mean to dash the dreams of youngsters two weeks before Christmas.