The serial paedophile at the centre of football’s sexual abuse scandal is in hospital after being found unconscious in a Hertfordshire hotel, it emerged on Monday.

Barry Bennell, 62, was discovered at the Novotel hotel, in Stevenage, late on Friday evening, and was taken to the town’s Lister Hospital, where he remained on Monday.

It is understood police had been increasingly worried for the safety of the former Crewe Alexandra coach – branded “the Jimmy Savile of football” – who had gone missing after a string of former footballers waived their anonymity to accuse him of sexual abuse, with Greater Manchester Police on Monday becoming the fifth force to launch an investigation into historic allegations of sexual assault in youth football.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said officers had responded to a request from Thames Valley Police to visit the hotel “as part of inquiries to locate a missing person”.