Police investigating sex abuse claims against Cliff Richard hand file to prosecutors

Sir Cliff Richard has been under investigation for two years. Photo / File

Detectives investigating sex abuse claims against Sir Cliff Richard have sent a "full file" of evidence to prosecutors after coming under pressure to wind up the two year probe.

South Yorkshire Police - which first carried out a raid on the singer's home in August 2014 - confirmed officers are now awaiting a charging decision from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Earlier this year, Antony Stansfield, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, said the length of time Sir Cliff has been left in the dark over abuse claims was "unacceptable".

A CPS spokewoman said: "We have received a full file of evidence from South Yorkshire Police. We will now carefully consider its contents in line with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, in order to establish whether there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction, and whether it is in the public interest to do so."

Sir Cliff, 75, has been voluntarily interviewed twice by police.

The BBC beamed live images of the raid on his £3million Berkshire home while he was on holiday in Portugal.

Later that month, Sir Cliff flew back to the UK voluntarily to be questioned by detectives.

Sir Cliff was first interviewed after a man came forward claiming to have been groped by him at a Christian rally in 1985 when he was a boy.

South Yorkshire Police said: "Investigation files relating to allegations of non-recent sexual abuse involving a 75-year-old man, have been handed over to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

"The CPS will now consider the matter and South Yorkshire Police awaits their decision."

A spokesman for Sir Cliff said: "It would be inappropriate to comment while the matter is under review."