As the investigation into sexual abuse carried out by a paedophile ring at a number of residential children's homes in the 70s and 80s has been reopened. Copies of a shelved report by John Jillings, a respected expert on social services, has been found at Flintshire council office archives. The report was commissioned in 1994 by the now disbanded Clywd Council, after seven care workers were convicted in 1991, following allegations of historic abuse, centring on the Bryn Estyn home in Wrexham. But the findings were not published, because apparently there were fears that the revelations it contained could lead to the authority being sued. However, in radio interviews, Jillings, said his inquiry focused on staff members at the home and not people in public life.

A three-year inquiry then followed conducted by High Court judge, Sir Ronald Waterhouse, which concluded in 2000 with a report entitled Lost in Care. Then two weeks ago, former Bryn Estyn resident Steve Messham said the full scale of the abuse was not uncovered by the Waterhouse report.

A joint statement on behalf of the six councils in north Wales that succeeded Clwyd and the old Gwynedd council said: "We have now established that several copies of the report are in existence in local authority archives." The report and supporting documents were being made available to North Wales police and the National Crime Agency.

Written and presented by Ann Salter.