Star expresses anger that media was given access to the police search

Sir Cliff Richard yesterday furiously denied sexually assaulting a schoolboy at a Christian rally.

His denial came as police raided his home over the allegation dating back almost three decades.

The star said 'completely false' claims had been circulating on the internet for months but he had chosen not to 'dignify' them with a response.

Detectives swooped on the singer's £3.1million apartment in Berkshire, spending five hours searching for evidence after receiving a report that a teenager under the age of 16 was attacked in Sheffield at an event held by American evangelist Billy Graham in 1985.

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Celebrity appearance: Sir Cliff is believed to be in the Algarve region of Portugal, where he gave an interview to Kiss FM on Sunday (pictured) less than a week after raising thousands in a charity gig at his vineyard

'Completely false': Sir Cliff, pictured at the FM Algarve studio on Sunday, has vehemently denied a claim that he committed a sexual offence with a biy under the age of 16 in the 1980s

Sir Cliff Richard performs at the Christian rally in Sheffield in the 1980s, where police sources say he is alleged to have molested a young boy

Sir Cliff, 73, who is holidaying in Portugal, is expected to be interviewed by police within days and has said he will 'fully co-operate' with their investigation.

He was said to be shocked yesterday when he learnt that police were searching his penthouse suite in Sunningdale after live television images of the raid were beamed around the world.

Officers are expected to question the star as soon as he flies back to the UK. Sir Cliff accused police of leaking the raid to the media yesterday, saying he had no notice of the searches being carried out.

The star has long feared he could be investigated after allegations of sexual abuse emerged almost two years ago.

In a terse statement, he said: 'For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online.

'The allegations are completely false. Up until now I have chosen not to dignify the false allegations with a response, as it would just give them more oxygen.

Home from home: Sir Cliff's property in the Algarve, where he is thought to be staying

'ALLEGATIONS ARE COMPLETELY FALSE': SIR CLIFF'S STATEMENT 'For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online. The allegations are completely false. 'Up until now I have chosen not to dignify the false allegations with a response, as it would just give them more oxygen. 'However, the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except, it would appear, to the press. 'I am not presently in the UK but it goes without saying that I will co-operate fully should the police wish to speak to me. 'Beyond stating that today's allegation is completely false it would not be appropriate to say anything further until the police investigation has concluded.' Advertisement

'However, the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice except, it would appear, to the Press.

'It goes without saying that I will co-operate fully should the police wish to speak to me.'

The alleged assault is said to have taken place during a Christian 'crusade' by US preacher Billy Graham who spent eight days delivering sermons at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane stadium in June 1985.

Sir Cliff, dressed in white, was a guest star at one of the rallies. He sang gospel songs and gave a speech avowing his faith in front of a crowd of 47,000 adults and children

An allegation of sexual assault at the event first surfaced in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal almost two years ago.

It was made just weeks after an ITV documentary was broadcast on October 3, 2012 called Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile.

There followed a blitz of speculation on the internet wrongly linking Sir Cliff to ongoing historic sexual abuse inquiries involving other celebrities and politicians.

However, police are now investigating a single allegation against the star relating to a boy aged between ten and 16, which is not being linked to any other inquiries.

Investigation: Stills from news footage showed police arriving at the home of Sir Cliff Richard near Sunningdale, Berkshire. A convoy of cars was seen entering the complex before leaving at around 3.30pm

Sir Cliff Richard bought his apartment in the prestigious Charters complex in Sunningdale, Berkshire, for £3.1million in 2008. Police were said to be searching the property in relation to an alleged historical sex offence

Search: People, thought to be police officers involved in the search, inside the property

Search team: Police officers in unmarked cars leave Sir Cliff's Ascot home after searching the apartment

In convoy: The convoy of cars leaves the exclusive Charters estate

SIR CLIFF'S ANGER AT MEDIA'S KNOWLEDGE OF RAID ON HIS HOME Sir Cliff Richard was furious that members of the press appeared to find out his luxury UK flat was being raided by police before he did. Crews for the BBC were positioned outside the private estate where the singer has a £3.1million property as police swooped in. And the BBC appeared to have a pre-recorded interview with a leading police officer involved in the case. In his statement, Sir Cliff pointedly said that he had been given no notice of the search. The singer said: 'However, the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except, it would appear, to the press. 'I am not presently in the UK but it goes without saying that I will co-operate fully should the police wish to speak to me.' He was in the Algarve when he learned of the raid, and his publicist promptly issued a strong denial of the claim. It is not clear if the singer plans to return to the UK. A spokesman from the BBC declined to comment on the source of their story. Advertisement

Sir Cliff's publicist Lisa Davies said she was not previously aware of the allegations.

Born Harry Webb in 1940 in Lucknow, India, Sir Cliff's father was a catering contractor for Indian Railways while his mother worked as a matron at a girls' school.

After moving back to Britain where he lived in Carshalton, south west London, he shot to fame as a young heartthrob with the style of chart-toppers like Elvis Presley and his musical hero Little Richard.

The singer had a string of hits in the 1950s and 1960s with his backing group The Shadows and is the only singer ever to have had Number One singles in five consecutive decades.

The gates to Sir Cliff Richard's luxury £3.1m property, which he bought in 2008, remained closed this afternoon, with no obvious sign of police activity.

Earlier a police helicopter had circled above the Charters development but had left a short while later, with no one entering or leaving the site.

The development near Ascot, Berkshire, sits behind 10ft white walls and brown metal gates, with a security camera overlooking the wall.

The luxury apartments are located in more than 20 acres of private grounds described as 'an iconic development of two and three bedroom apartments offering the very best in contemporary living'.

The facilities include a health spa, pool and tennis complex with a 24/7 concierge service and security.

Films such as Summer Holiday - in which he famously took a red London bus around Europe - made him one of the most recognisable faces in the country.

He finally changed his named to Cliff Richard formally by deed poll in 1980, the same year he was made an OBE for services to music and charity.

Preacher: The allegation is understood to relate to a major stadium rally in Sheffield by US preacher Billy Graham in June 1985. Pictured: Cliff Richard with Billy Graham at a 1984 rally at Birmingham's Villa Park

Evangelist: Billy Graham speaking at the 1985 event in Sheffield to which the allegation is understood to refer

Tennis fan: Sir Cliff is a regular attendee at Wimbledon and visited last month with the TV personality Cilla Black

Fan: Sir Cliff, pictured at Wimbledon, has many celebrity friends including the sports commentator Sue Barker

He gave an interview to Kiss FM Algarve on Sunday, describing himself as 'fit and well and doing my best'

THE LOVES OF SIR CLIFF RICHARD 'Passionate': Sir Cliff with Una Stubbs According to his biographer, Steve Turner, Sir Cliff has only had three significant partners. It has been widely reported that he lost his virginity at 18 to Carol Harris, the wife of Shadows bandmate Jet. In a biography he dismissed the affair as mere infatuation, claiming that what happened between them was 'not right', and painting her as his seductress. At 22, he had a passionate affair with actress Una Stubbs, then 24, on the set of the film Wonderful Life, released in 1964. In the early Eighties he enjoyed a three-year friendship with former Wimbledon ace Sue Barker, even at one point considering marriage. In 2010 a letter written by Sir Cliff to then girlfriend Delia wicks in 1961 emerged. In the Dear John letter, sent as he toured Australia, he wrote: 'Being a pop singer I have to give up one priceless thing – the right to any lasting relationship with any special girl. 'I've just had to make, probably, one of the biggest decisions I'm ever going to make and I'm hoping that it won't hurt you too much.' In the 1980s, he considered marriage to Sue Barker, the former tennis champion and host of the BBC's Question of Sport. Sir Cliff is often accompanied by his trusted companion and friend, former Roman Catholic priest John McElynn. Once an American missionary, Mr McElynn has been friends with the singer for more than a decade and looks after his property portfolio. Sir Cliff once said of him: 'He has become a companion, which is great, because I don't like living alone'. Advertisement

Sir Cliff Richard and his close friend, the former priest Father John McElynn, in Barbados last year

Fame: The singer shot to fame in the 1950s and 1960s with his backing group The Shadows and is the only singer ever to have had Number One singles in five consecutive decades, ending with Mistletoe and Wine

Police said the allegations dated from the 1980s. Pictured, Sir Cliff on the day he received his OBE in 1980 (left) and, right, the entertainer in 1989

THE PETER PAN OF POP: SIR CLIFF'S SEVEN DECADES OF HITS At 56 years into his showbusiness career Sir Cliff has sold more than 250 million records and still plays live to audiences around the world. His first single Move It was released in August 1958 and a string of others followed, with the artist building a reputation for his energetic live performances and catchy hits. He scored his first number one less than a year later in July 1959 with Living Doll, which remained at the top of the charts for six weeks. Thirteen more number ones followed including eight more in the 1960s, among which were the hits Summer Holiday and Congratulations. From then he scored a number one hit in every decade until the 1990s - including We Don't Talk Anymore in 1979, Living Doll in 1986, Mistletoe and Wine in 1988 and Saviour's Day in 1990. Even as Beatlemania took hold, Sir Cliff was a familiar feature of the charts, although the gaps between his number ones increased. His conversion to Christianity took place in 1964 and he considered quitting the music business, particularly as a man who at one stage had been deemed 'too sexy for TV'. But friends advised against it and his popularity was undimmed, setting him a world away from the wild behaviour of some rock stars. In 1968 he became the UK's Eurovision Song Contest entrant, singing Congratulations and missing out on a win by a single point. He returned to the competition again five years later with Power to All Our Friends, which finished third. Sir Cliff later devoted a number of years to getting his stage musical Heathcliff off the ground, in which he starred and which provided a chart hit with Misunderstood Man. His devoted fanbase swung into action in 1999 when Radio 2 failed to playlist his single Millennium Prayer, and the publicity surrounding the single gave him his biggest hit for nine years. His releases became less prolific as the 21st century dawned but Sir Cliff continued to be a popular live performer with fans often camping out to snap up tickets for his shows. But the 'Peter Pan of pop' could claim to be a favourite of royalty, numbering among only a few celebrities who were invited to a tenth anniversary memorial service in August 2007 to mark the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. He also led a celebrated singalong at a rain-sodden Wimbledon Centre Court the following year in a performance which included Summer Holiday and Bachelor Boy. His last album The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook, released in November last year, was advertised as his 100th and featured covers of songs by Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. Advertisement

Cliff's anger after controversial search of his home was apparently leaked to the BBC: Broadcaster's reporters were waiting for police as they arrived at singer's luxury flat

Cliff Richard lashed out at police for apparently leaking news of the highly-controversial search of his home to the BBC.

A phalanx of journalists from the national broadcaster were waiting for officers as they arrived at his home in Sunningdale, Berkshire.

They were in position to film the motorcade as it swung through the gates both from the roadside and a helicopter hovering overhead.

A BBC cameraman outside Sir Cliff's home. A phalanx of journalists from the national broadcaster were waiting for officers as they arrived at his property in Sunningdale, Berkshire

At 1pm, the BBC launched a broadside of pre-prepared reports across its network, on TV, radio the internet and via numerous social networking accounts.

Its coverage included a pre-recorded interview with a uniformed senior officer standing outside the Sheffield headquarters of South Yorkshire Police.

The avalanche of publicity sent shockwaves around the world and clearly surprised Sir Cliff, who is currently staying in Portugal.

In an indignant statement released several hours later, in which he vehemently protested his innocence, he also revealed his anger over the wall-to-wall live coverage.

He said: ' ... the police attended my apartment in Berkshire today without notice, except it would appear to the press.'

The BBC was well prepared for the arrival of eight officers at Sir Cliff's penthouse flat yesterday morning.

The team of plain-clothes detectives were filmed walking into the complex and even donning blue latex gloves as they searched a desk in his home.

A helicopter chartered by the BBC hovered above the scene for several hours, filming officers as they carried materials outside.

The news was broadcast simultaneously across the BBC network and tweeted by a handful of journalists and producers near Sir Cliff's home.

Before the bombshell exploded, one regional radio presenter commented: 'Watch the news at 1pm please. Or listen to the radio. Any channel.' Unaware: Richard, who is believed to be at his home in Portugal, said he was unaware the police raid at his Berkshire property would be taking place

One reason the access is so controversial is the furious reaction in some quarters to the presence of a tabloid photographer at the arrest of Harry Redknapp.

The Sun was pilloried by the liberal media after it caught the football manager being driven from his home in 2007 over corruption allegations.

Redknapp was acquitted and later sued City of London police and spoke of his 'bitter disappointment' at the way the raid and his arrest were handled.

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman strongly denied that the force officially passed any information about the search to the broadcaster.

She said: 'The BBC had their own source and the information categorically did not come from South Yorkshire Police.

'The BBC were the first to request an interview with a senior officer and all subsequent media requests were accommodated.'

A BBC spokeswoman declined to comment on the source of their story.

The Rev Richard Coles, a regular on BBC Radio 4, criticised the broadcaster's coverage.