The ex-Bishop of Brighton and Arundel is being investigated by police amid claims he turned a blind eye to a priest with paedophile tendencies.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, 70, is now Archbishop of Westminster, head of the Catholic church in England and Wales.

Police are looking into whether the cardinal, who at the time was Bishop of Brighton and Arundel, knew offences had been committed by the priest in the Eighties and subsequently impeded a prosecution or perverted the course of justice.

It is claimed the priest, who cannot be named for legal reasons, abused children as young as 11 and was transferred between churches when allegations came to light.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "After comments made by the cardinal in the media several months ago, a member of the public wrote to Sussex Police about cases of historic abuse.

"Sussex Police and the Crown Prosecution Service are now looking at the issues raised."

A spokeswoman for the CPS said: "Sussex Police contacted the CPS for advice as part of their inquiries involving the cardinal and we gave them advice."

The cardinal was ordained Bishop of Brighton and Arundel in December 1977. He was installed as the tenth Archbishop of Westminster in March 2000.

Mark Morley, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, said: "We have not been contacted by police but in the event that we are, we will fully co-operate with any inquiries."