The BBC has finally apologised nearly two weeks after a white presenter said 'n****r' in a news report.

More than 18,000 people complained to the BBC after social affairs correspondent Fiona Lamdin said the highly-offensive term while covering a racist hit-and-run attack on a black NHS worker on July 29.

And now, 11 days after the initial report was made, the broadcaster's director-general Lord Tony Hall said they 'made a mistake' and 'should have taken a different approach'.

After the broadcaster initially defended the report, Lord Hall said in an email sent to all BBC staff: 'This morning I brought together a group of BBC colleagues to discuss our news coverage of the recent shocking attack on an NHS worker. I wanted us to look at the issues raised by the reporting and the strength of feeling surrounding it.

'We are proud of the BBC's values of inclusion and respect, and have reflected long and hard on what people have had to say about the use of the n-word and all racist language both inside and outside the organisation.

'It should be clear that the BBC's intention was to highlight an alleged racist attack. This is important journalism which the BBC should be reporting on and we will continue to do so.

'Yet despite these good intentions, I recognise that we have ended up creating distress amongst many people.

'The BBC now accepts that we should have taken a different approach at the time of broadcast and we are very sorry for that. We will now be strengthening our guidance on offensive language across our output.

'Every organisation should be able to acknowledge when it has made a mistake. We made one here. It is important for us to listen - and also to learn. And that is what we will continue to do.'

Ms Lamdin used the offensive term when covering the collision between a Honda Accord and a 21-year-old man in Bristol.

The car was said to have deliberately hit the victim as he left Southmead Hospital after a shift last Wednesday.

Social affairs correspondent Fiona Lamdin used the offensive language when covering a collision between a Honda Accord and a 21-year-old man (pictured) in Bristol

Horrified witnesses said he was flung from the pavement into a nearby garden as two thugs reportedly hurled racist abuse at him.

Lamdin shocked viewers during the 10.30am clip for BBC Points West when she said: 'Just to warn you, you're about to hear highly offensive language.'

She added: 'Because as the men ran away, they hurled racial abuse, calling him a n*****.'

BBC guidance says strong language should not be used before the 9pm watershed, but 'n****r' is usually seen as too rude to ever air.

The story ran on the BBC News Channel and local news programme Points West on July 29, but the broadcaster stopped running the report which featured the offensive language later that day.

Lord Hall's statement was issued after he held a meeting with BBC colleagues on the issue.

June Sarpong, the BBC's director of creative diversity, welcomed the decision, saying she is 'glad' that Lord Hall has 'personally intervened to unequivocally apologise'.

Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy praised Lord Hall for the move, adding: 'But once again it has taken a direct intervention by the DG to overturn a mistake on race previously defended by the BBC's editorial policy managers.'

Larry Madowo, a US correspondent for the BBC's World Service, also commented on the move, saying that despite being black he had previously not been allowed to use the racist term in an article when quoting an African American.

Viewers were warned ahead of the broadcast about the racially offensive language

'But a white person was allowed to say it on TV because it was 'editorially justified',' he said.

This is not the first time Lord Hall has made an intervention following a backlash over the BBC's handling of discussions around race in its news output.

In September, he reversed a ruling by the corporation's Executive Complaints Unit after it said BBC Breakfast host Naga Munchetty breached editorial guidelines when she condemned comments made by Donald Trump after he told female Democrats to 'go back' to their own countries.

On Saturday, BBC Radio 1xtra presenter Sideman announced that he was quitting the corporation over the broadcast.

Announcing the move on social media, he said the news report represented an 'error of judgement', adding it 'feels like a slap in the face to our community'.

After Sideman, real name David Whitely, announced his decision, a BBC spokesman said on Saturday that while they were 'aware that [the report] would cause offence' it was important to explain the alleged context of the incident.

The broadcaster has also previously revealed that the decision was taken by a team of people which included senior editorial figures.

BBC Senior Digital Reporter Ashley John-Baptiste today posted a statement on social media voicing support for Sideman

On Thursday, the BBC said it had received 18,656 complaints over the incident.

BBC Senior Digital Reporter Ashley John-Baptiste today posted a statement on social media voicing support for Sideman.

He wrote: 'Every black member of BBC staff I've spoken to is tired. Plain & simple. From new recruits to the seniors - we just cannot fathom how it's editorially justifiable for a white person to say the N word - period.

'We get into this work to represent our communities & tell their stories. In instances like the one we're witnessing, it's hard to feel like we have any agency to bring about positive change.

'I am a BBC News Senior Reporter & I hope to be part of the solution in bringing about better representation; but please know that I am in outright disagreement with my employer's judgement on the use of that disgusting word.

'People have been messaging me, wanting to know where I stand. It's a no brainer. @sidemanallday is a stellar talent, and I stand with him. No doubt he's gonna flourish.'