Donald Trump has apologised after a tape emerged in which he brags about being able grope women because of his fame.

Following the release of the 2005 recording, the Republican presidential hopeful initially said he was sorry "if anyone was offended" by the "locker room banter".

However, after a backlash which has seen party colleagues desert him, Mr Trump issued a more forthright video apology in which he said: "I've said and done things I regret, and the words released today on this more than a decade-old video are one of them.

"Anyone who knows me knows these words don't reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong and I apologise.

This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president. https://t.co/RwhW7yeFI2 — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 7, 2016

"I pledge to be a better man tomorrow and will never, ever let you down."


But Mr Trump also sought to dismiss the revelations as "nothing more than a distraction" from other issues facing the country and renewed his attack on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton ahead of the second presidential debate on Sunday.

The tycoon was caught on a microphone as he arrived on the set of daytime soap opera Days Of Our Lives for a cameo.

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He was telling Billy Bush of the celebrity show Access Hollywood about a woman he tried to seduce.

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He is heard to say: "I did try and f*** her. She was married.

"I moved on her like a b****, but I couldn't get there."

He also brags about women letting him kiss and grope them because he is famous.

Mr Trump said: "I just start kissing them. And when you're a star they let you do it.

"Grab them by the p****. You can do anything."

The candidate has been savaged by senior Republican figures over the footage obtained by the Washington Post.

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The party's top elected official, House Speaker Paul Ryan, said he was "sickened" by Mr Trump's crude language.

"Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified," he added.

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"I hope Mr Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests."

The furore led Mr Trump to announce his running mate Mike Pence would represent him at the campaign event in Wisconsin on Saturday.

Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus was among those to criticise Mr Trump.

Mr Priebus, who has been a champion of the billionaire businessman's campaign and was due to appear with Mr Trump in Wisconsin, said in a statement: "No woman should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever."

Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte described the comments as "totally inappropriate and offensive".

Rival Mrs Clinton wrote on Twitter: "This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president."

She has said Mr Trump has shown a lack of respect for women, noting during the first debate he insulted a former Miss Universe.

:: You can watch the second presidential debate on Sky News from 1am on Monday. It will be repeated in full from 8am.