Police officers investigating the alleged sexual abuse of young girls by former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile yesterday said they were pursuing more than 400 lines of inquiry involving some 300 victims.

"It's quite staggering," said inquiry leader Commander Peter Spindler.

He told a news conference that all bar two of the potential victims were women and that the vast majority of alleged offences involved Savile, who died last year.

Police had spoken to 130 victims to date and recorded 114 reports of sexual assault or serious sexual assault, mostly against Savile. No arrests have been made so far.

Spindler said so far there was no evidence of an organised paedophile ring - something suggested by victims' lawyers.