Church of England bishops have apologised for causing pain to gay Christians after their report on sexuality announced 'little support' for changing teaching on gay marriage.

In an address at the CofE's General Synod the Bishop of Willesden, Pete Broadbent, said he did not want to make excuses for the report and admitted 'it's a pretty conservative document'.

He told a tense gathering of synod members: 'I do want to apologise to those members of synod who found our report difficult, who didn't recognise themselves in it, who had expected more from us than we actually delivered and for the tone of the report.

'On behalf of the House [of Bishops], and without being trite or trivial, I'm sorry.'

It comes after an outcry from pro-LGBT members of synod who are threatening to vote the report down later on Wednesday.

The Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, who chaired the reflection group that compiled the report, also said he regrets 'any pain or anger it may have caused' and admitted to being 'conflicted' in presenting it.

'At one level nothing much seems to have changed' since 1979, he said.

He spoke of the CofE as a liberalising force on gay rights in the 1970s and said, in spite of a 'popular media of the time which was hostile to homosexual relationships', the Church had recommended the decriminalising of gay sex 10 years before it was passed into law.

He seemed to speak with regret of more conservative motions as 'things became more complicated in the 1980s'. The infamous 'Higton motion' that reinforced an archconservative mindset shifted attitude in 'ways which I expect a number of the bishops then wished they hadn't', he said. 

'Nearly everything that has happened in the Church of England on these issues since then has been in reaction to that motion,' he said.

The most recent bishops report, published two weeks ago, called for 'maximum freedom' for gay couples within current laws and called for 'a fresh tone and culture of welcome and support' for LGBT people. 

But after more than two years and spending more than £380,000 of internal discussions the bishops proposed no change to Church teaching or practice on gay relationships.

Their report will be debated by synod on Wednesday evening and a vote to 'take note' will be held.

But LGBT campaigners are hoping to block the report by voting to not take note.

The Church hierarchy is deeply concerned the report will be thrown out and Church officials have been ringing round bishops to find out which way members under their authority will vote.

Bishop Broadbent pleaded with members to pass the report and said it was a 'neutral motion'.

He said: 'A vote in favour of the motion does not commit the Synod to the acceptance of any matter in the report.'