TV weatherman Fred Talbot's home raided in abuse probe Published duration 21 December 2012

image caption Mr Talbot is a former grammar school biology teacher

TV weather presenter Fred Talbot's home has been searched by police investigating allegations of historical child sex abuse.

Police are investigating claims of abuse by a member of staff at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in the 1970s. Nobody has been arrested.

Mr Talbot, 63, was a biology teacher at the school at the time.

Police executed a warrant at his home in Bowdon, south Manchester, on 11 December.

According to his Twitter account he was abroad at the time.

'Robust investigation'

Greater Manchester Police said it had received three separate complaints.

Ch Supt Mark Roberts said alleged offences happened while the victims were pupils at the grammar school, but not within school grounds, and allegedly involved a member of staff.

Mr Roberts said: "I must stress that once again these relate to [historical] allegations; it is incumbent on us to thoroughly and robustly investigate this matter."

Mr Talbot, who works for ITV's Granada Reports programme, is best known for his work on the ITV programme This Morning when it was hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.

He presented his weather reports using a large floating map of the British isles at Liverpool's Albert Dock.

On 10 December, he told followers on his Twitter account that he was sailing in the Atlantic Ocean for six days after leaving Madeira.

Six days later, he posted: "Land at last. After six days at sea St Kitts."

Mr Talbot was not immediately available for comment.

His agent Dave Warwick confirmed to the BBC that the house raided was that of Mr Talbot, but he is away on a cruise.

He said police had not contacted him regarding the raid and he did not know if Mr Talbot was aware of what had happened.

An ITV spokesman said: "Given that there is a police investigation, it would not be appropriate for us to comment."