Justin Bieber: 'I have let down my fans and I am sorry'

Justin Bieber has issued a grovelling apology to his legion of fans following the release of a second video showing him using racial slurs and singing about joining the Ku Klux Klan.

The pop star has said sorry for the second time in a week, admitting he has let down his fans and needs to "step up and own what I did".

The highly controversial video, believed to have been filmed in 2009, shows Bieber changing the words to his song One Less Lonely Girl to One Less Lonely N**ger and singing about joining the notorious race hate group, and he has now admitted he made a big mistake.

Speaking to British newspaper The Sun from a sun-soaked resort in Mexico, where he is on vacation, Bieber says, "Facing my mistakes from years ago has been one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with. But I feel now that I need to take responsibility for those mistakes and not let them linger... At the end of the day I just need to step up and own what I did... Once again I am sorry for all those I have let down and offended."

Bieber also voices his hope that his young fans will not follow his example, adding, "I just hope that the next 14-year-old kid who doesn't understand the power of these words does not make the same mistakes I made..."

The Baby star goes on to claim his mentors, fellow singer Usher and actor Will Smith, had both reprimanded him over his bad behaviour, and the Yeah! hitmaker even showed a number of historical films to teach him the seriousness of race hate, according to The Sun.

Bieber's apology comes just days after he said sorry for his behaviour in a previous video clip which showed him making a racist joke and using the N-word.