Publicist Max Clifford says he has been contacted by stars from the 1960s and 70s who say they are frightened of being implicated in the Jimmy Savile scandal. ITN

Dozens of celebrities from the 1960s and 70s are "frightened to death" they will be implicated in the Jimmy Savile child abuse scandal, according to public relations guru Max Clifford.

He said the stars, some of whom were still big names, had approached him to handle any fallout from inquiries. He said they were worried because at their peak they had lived a hedonistic lifestyle where young girls threw themselves at them but they "never asked for anybody's birth certificate".

Clifford's comments came as it emerged that the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster has written to the Pope to ask him to consider removing Savile's papal knighthood in recognition of the distress caused to his victims.

Scotland Yard is leading the current investigation into accusations of abuse by former BBC DJ and presenter Savile, which now involves around 300 possible victims.

Officers have searched a cottage belonging to Savile in Allt na Reigh in Glencoe, Scotland, to look for "any evidence of any others being involved in any offending with him".

In Leeds, members of Savile's family issued a statement expressing their bewilderment at his crimes and their sympathy for his victims. In the statement, the family said their "thoughts" and "prayers" were with those who had suffered abuse.

On Friday, Clifford said young pop stars at the time had gone from working in a factory one week to performing in front of thousands of people "and girls are screaming and throwing themselves at them then".

"All kinds of things went on and I do mean young girls throwing themselves at them in their dressing rooms at concert halls, at gigs, whatever," he said.

"They never asked for anybody's birth certificate and they were young lads … suddenly everyone's dream was a reality.

"We are talking about a lot of people that were huge names in the 60s and 70s and a lot of them barely remember what they did last week, genuinely.

"For them to try and recount what happened in a dressing room in 1965 or 1968 or 1972, genuinely they are frightened to death."

He said the investigation needed to focus on the "facilitators" who lurked on the periphery and had had years to cover their backs.

"I am hoping that the real predators are the ones we are going to find out about: the Glitters of this world, the Saviles of this world, not people that were randy young pop stars in the 1960s, 70s and 80s even, that had women throwing themselves at them everywhere they went, because that is a whole different area and a whole different situation. No one had heard the word paedophile in those days, the 60s and 70s," he said.

Seven alleged victims of Savile made complaints to four separate police forces, Surrey, London, Sussex and Jersey, while the television presenter was alive but it was decided that no further action should be taken.

Scotland Yard said on Friday that a retired officer had told them he had investigated Savile in the 1980s while based in west London but did not have the evidence to proceed.

Metropolitan police commander Peter Spindler said he believed the allegation was of an indecent assault, possibly in a caravan on BBC premises in west London, but officers have still not found the original file.

Another allegation, of inappropriate touching dating back to the 1970s, was made by a woman in 2003, but this was treated as "intelligence" by police because the victim did not want to take action.

Surrey police submitted a file to the Crown Prosecution Service containing references to four potential offences, including an allegation of indecent assault on a young girl at a children's home.

The allegations related to three potential victims in Surrey and another in Sussex, and Savile was interviewed under caution in 2009, but prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

The seventh allegation emerged in 2008 when Jersey police received a claim that an indecent assault occurred at the children's home Haut de la Garenne in the 1970s. Again it was decided that there was insufficient evidence to proceed.

Spindler said Savile was "undoubtedly" one of the most prolific sex offenders he had encountered and that Operation Yewtree, looking into Savile's crimes, would be a "watershed moment" for child abuse investigations.

The Catholic Church of England says it has contacted the Holy See to ask if the papal knighthood awarded to late television star Jimmy Savile could be removed following sexual abuse allegations.

Police say 300 potential victims have come forward with abuse allegations against Savile, a well-known BBC children's television host who died last year. Most of them say they were abused by Savile, but some say they were abused by other people, police said Friday.

The Catholic church said on Saturday that Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichol wrote to Vatican officials last week, asking the Holy See to investigate the possibility of posthumously removing Savile's honour in recognition of the "deep distress" of the alleged victims.