Red-faced council bosses are desperately trying to recover copies of a report that wrongly accused two former nursery workers of child abuse.
But there is no complete list of people who received the document.
The Abuse In Early Years report was commissioned by Newcastle City Council following allegations of abuse at its Shieldfield nursery.
Untrue claims in the report resulted in nursery nurses Christopher Lillie and Dawn Reed being awarded £200,000 each in compensation after they sued for libel.
The report - slammed by Mr Justice Eady at the trial - was sent to various professional bodies after publication, with more than 700 thought to have been distributed.
Members of the public were also able to buy a copy in person.
The report was written by a four-strong team, led by Professor Richard Barker, paid £360,000 for their contribution.
It has now emerged that the council is sending out letters to people who received the report, informing them it is no longer credible and the findings are libellous.
But town hall lawyers do not have a complete list of the names and address of everyone who received a copy, despite addresses of the recipients supposedly being compiled at the time.
Joyce Eyeington, former boss of Shieldfield, said: "At least they are trying to recover some copies.
"But it's careless at the least to say that they didn't compile a complete list of recipients. It shows the council's irresponsible attitude at the time."
Joyce was made a scapegoat by the report and is angry that some copies may remain in existence. She said: "One of the things I've always said is that long after I'm dead and gone, my children's children will be able to read these lies.
"When I got mine, it came with a confidentiality statement, yet you could buy them for £20. So much for confidentiality."
A spokeswoman for Newcastle City Council said: "There is no legal obligation for the council to recover copies of Abuse in Early Years.
"Given the result of the libel trial, the council, in a responsible gesture, offered to write to all recipients of the report we have been able to identify."
