Sir Edward Heath was gay but no paedophile, says former brothel madam

Wiltshire Police has confirmed it will co-ordinate any national investigation into historical sexual abuse allegations made against former prime minister Sir Edward Heath.

Wiltshire is one of seven police forces examining allegations of historical child sex abuse made against the ex-Tory leader, along with the Metropolitan Police, Hampshire, Kent, Jersey, Thames Valley and Gloucestershire Police.

Two more police forces - Gloucestershire and Thames Valley - are carrying out investigations linked to allegations against Sir Edward Heath.

An eighth - North Yorkshire - is also searching its archives for any information linking the former Prime Minister to Jimmy Savile, and a well known paedophile.

From Scarborough, ITV News correspondent Neil Connery reports:

Thames Valley Police has said it is investigating information the force has received regarding former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath.

A statement from Thames Valley Police said: "Following recent media coverage in relation to historic allegations made against former Prime Minister Edward Heath, Thames Valley Police has since received information which we are investigating further.

"We are at the very early stage of our enquiries and will not be commenting further at this stage."

Sir Edward is now being investigated by seven police forces over allegations of historical child sex abuse.

Gloucestershire Police has confirmed it has received an allegation against former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath.

Five other police forces are also investigating allegations of historical child sex abuse involving Sir Edward.

North Yorkshire Police has confirmed it is checking its records for any mention of Sir Edward Heath after a photo emerged of him meeting Peter Jaconelli, a suspected paedophile and friend of Jimmy Savile.

Last year, the force said former Mayor of Scarborough Jaconelli would have been prosecuted for sex offences along with Savile if he had still been alive.

The photo from the 1970s shows Sir Edward shaking hands with Jaconelli, who died in 1999. The pair are taking part in a civic engagement and are surrounded by crowds.

In a statement, the force said: "North Yorkshire Police is not currently investigating any complaints linked to Edward Heath.

"We are however undertaking a comprehensive search of force systems to assess if there is any information or intelligence held in relation to Mr Heath".

Sir Edward is being investigated by five police forces over allegations of historical child sex abuse.

The judge leading the independent inquiry into historical child sex abuse has said she will look at claims against Sir Edward Heath if "the facts justify it". Five police forces are now investigating allegations.

On Jersey, officers are looking at possible links to widespread abuse allegations at care homes. One man who told ITV News he was living at Haut de la Garenne children’s home at the time of alleged abuses, claimed many children were taken onto the former Prime Minister's yacht.

ITV News correspondent Juliet Bremner reports:

The allegations around Sir Edward Heath would be part of the investigations undertaken by the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse "should the facts justify it", a spokeswoman for the inquiry led by Justice Lowell Goddard has said.

Wiltshire Police continue to receive a number of calls following appeals for information regarding Sir Edward Heath.

It comes two days after the force appealed for victims and people with information to contact them after the Independent Police Complaints Commission confirmed it was investigating claims the force covered up allegations of child sex abuse made against the former Prime Minister in the 1990s.