A matron who wrote to Filipino nurses threatening to send them home in disgrace after a rumour they had been shoplifting, has resigned from her post.

Rosemary Cranna sparked outrage among staff at Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust when she sent the letter to more than 60 overseas nurses.

Mrs Cranna, who returned from holiday this week, agreed to stand down as nurse executive director and matron and return to her old job as head of midwifery and children's services.

In a statement, she said: "I was absolutely devastated to return from leave to discover how much distress my letter had caused, not only to the Filipino nurses but also to my other nursing and work colleagues.

"It was a mistake to write the letter and I can only offer my sincere apologies to everyone concerned.

"It was written in haste as I departed to go on leave. I realise I may have lost the confidence and trust of my colleagues and have agreed to step down from the position as nurse executive director and matron.

"I will be writing to the Filipino nurses as soon as possible to offer my personal apologies and would like to take this opportunity to thank colleagues in the trust for their concern and support."

Trust chief executive Roger Greene said: "Rosemary has accepted it was a mistake to write the letter. After discussing it with her I am satisfied it was written in haste. We have agreed she should step down from her position and return to her post as head of midwifery and children's services.

"I am satisfied the letter was not based on substantive evidence and therefore there is no case to answer over any suggestion of shoplifting."

Mrs Cranna took over as matron earlier this year when then-matron Martin Smits went on secondment to Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust.

She arrived at the trust in January 1998 to take up the head of midwifery post.

The loss of the matron's post will mean Mrs Cranna will take a significant cut in salary.

The news was welcomed by nurses at Worthing Hospital.

One, who did not want to be named, said: "I don't think there was much else that could have been done.

"A lot of people were very angry about the whole thing and if she had been allowed to stay then it could have caused a lot of problems."

A group of colleagues at the trust had been so angry at Mrs Cranna's letter they wrote to Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Institute of Race Relations, the NHS Executive and the Royal College of Nursing to complain.

They said: "These highly qualified young men and women were recruited because of the shortage of trained nurses in this area.

"They paid their own fares in order to come.

"They are excellent nurses who deliver an extremely high standard of patient care and behave professionally. They are trusted and respected colleagues."

Mr Greene has already contacted Filipino nurses to apologise and stress how much their work is valued.

The trust is continuing its drive to recruit more nurses from the Philippines to help fill its nursing shortages.