Sandwell MP Adrian Bailey has presented his £1,000 payout from The Guardian to charity Cancer Research UK.

He handed over the cheque at the charity’s West Bromwich shop with store manager Claire Bennett, aged 34, of Halesowen and area manager Karen Bevan, 38, of Droitwich.

The national newspaper apologised and awarded damages to Mr Bailey, after wrongly claiming he spent taxpayers’ money at a tanning salon.

The Guardian claimed the West Bromwich West MP claimed £160 on expenses for services at Solihull Tanning Centre. However, the paper misread his handwriting, which actually said Sandwell Training Centre. The money had been spent on a session to help unemployed people back into work.

Mr Bailey described the reporting as “grossly slovenly and lazy” and said he was under doctors’ orders not to expose his very fair skin to the sun.

An apology was printed in The Guardian on Wednesday.

Mr Bailey said: “This was an incredibly sloppy piece of journalism which could have had disastrous political consequences for me. I had to act promptly to correct the article.

“At least Cancer Research have received a donation of £1,000 in compensation. It is good that at least someone benefited from the mistake.

“I chose the charity as I have had several friends who have suffered from the disease.”