Bosses at a gardening project who banned a woman with additional support needs have offered the family an olive branch

Caitlyn Johnstone, 27, was barred from Parklea Branching Out more than a year ago following a minor disagreement with a supervisor.

Her mum Frances complained and after an initial meeting said she hadn't heard anything from the board since November.

The board has now responded to the family's concerns and say they are happy to meet with Mrs Johnstone's to discuss Caitlyn's return.

In a statement issued to the Telegraph, the board said: "The board of directors at Parklea Branching Out was saddened to read in Saturday's edition of the Greenock Telegraph, that the family of one of our services users of 11 years feels that their daughter has been excluded from the service.

"We can confirm that we did receive a complaint from Mrs Johnstone, which was subsequently investigated in line with our existing complaints policy."

They said the probe involved representatives of the board meeting with Mrs Johnstone and separately with staff members to establish what had happened.

The board added: "At this meeting Mrs Johnstone agreed to met with board representatives at a later date to discuss the findings and recommendations of the investigation.

"Following a ratification of the findings by the full board, Mrs Johnstone was invited to a meeting with board representatives.

"When Mrs Johnstone did not attend, a further letter was sent to invited her to suggest a suitable time and date for a meeting to take place.

"This offer still remains open.

"The board wish to point out that staff have been providing a valued and important service or all who have used the service at Parklea for 21 years and we are sorry that anyone would feel we were trying to exclude them from the service.

"It is clear that the family would rather their daughter continue to attend the service and we would encourage Mrs Johnstone to contact the office in order that we can re-convene the meeting to discuss the findings of the investigation and agree the basis of Caitlyn's return to the service."

But Mrs Johnstone refutes this version of events and says she she did not agree to a second meeting.

She said: "Caitlyn's mental health nurse was with me at the meeting and she will verify that.

"I told the two people who I had the meeting with that I didn’t want anything more to do with it and said it was between Caitlyn and themselves and that’s exactly what I said."

Mrs Johnstone has now been in touch with management at Parklea in a bid to set up peace talks.