Page three has returned to The Sun in Thursday's edition as a "clarification and correction".

It was announced earlier this week by the tabloid's sister paper the Times it would no longer run Page Three girls.

The Sun never confirmed or denied it and stayed quiet until now.

In Thursday's edition a woman is pictured topless, winking, (and not for viewing here), with the headline: "We've had a mammary lapse" dashing reports of the controversial institution's premature demise.

The caption under the photograph reads: "Further to recent reports in all other media outlets, we would like to clarify that this is Page 3 and this is a picture of Nicole, 22, from Bournemouth.

"We would like to apologise on behalf of the print and broadcast journalists who have spent the last two days talking and writing about us."

The No To Page 3 campaign group, said the "fight might be back on".

It posted on its Facebook page: "Thanks to The Sun for all the publicity they've given the campaign."

Meanwhile former page 3 pin-up and model Jodie Marsh, who attacked the feminists' campaign earlier this week, could not resist expressing her joy at the paper's apparent U-turn.