The wife of a Cumbria vicar who was sacked amid allegations of financial irregularities has admitted "mistakes were made".

Reverend Harry Brown, lost his job as priest-in-charge of Crosscrake and Preston Patrick after claims of sexual harassment, intimidating behaviour, mental abuse, and financial irregularities.

The Church of England vicar lost his job when his license was revoked by The Bishop of Carlisle, The Right Rev Graham Dow.

At an appeal hearing on Wednesday, understood to be the first of its kind for a decade, Mr Brown's wife Lynn admitted discrepancies in accounts.

'Chronic illness'

Geoffrey Tattersall QC, counsel for the Bishop of Carlisle, put it to Mrs Brown under cross examination: "There were these discrepancies in the fees account, they just happened by accident?"

She replied: "Mistakes were made."

Mrs Brown was asked to explain three cheques amounting to �675.

But she said she suffered from a "chronic illness" which affected her memory.

She added: "I have thought and thought, believe me if I could tell you I would be more than pleased to, but I can't."

Mr Brown is appealing against the revocation of his license before the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, at the Church of the Holy Redeemer, Boroughbridge Road, York.