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April 18, 2007

Mail man says he’s sorry he crossed Lines

By Axegrinder axeblog

Former Daily Mirror US editor Andy Lines (now freelance) has won an apology from the Mail on Sunday’s Ian Ridley after the latter rubbished one of his stories.

Lines got a Mirror splash with his (admittedly far-fetched-sounding) story in January about a high-tech surveillance plane being used to film players at Manchester United’s training ground.

Ridley initially described this in his column as “probably a stunt by a newspaper trying create a story” ‒but has now admitted this was inaccurate.

Said Lines: “A rival Premiership club was behind the surveillance operation.

We know the identity of the the club but, because of some complex legal issues, couldn’t name them in the article.

“It has happened on at least three occasions this season, all at very specific times ‒in the late morning ‒over Manchester United’s training ground.

“United are fully aware which one of their Premiership rivals was behind it.

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“I was angry that a fellow journalist claimed we had been ‘trying to create a story’ but now Ian has said sorry the matter is closed.”

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