Detectives have finished their investigation into claims the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales covered up allegations of child abuse.

The file on Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor has been handed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which will decide whether or not to press charges.

The allegations against the Cardinal date from 1985 when he was Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.

He has faced calls for his resignation over the way he dealt with paedophile priest Michael Hill, a former chaplain at Gatwick airport.

Despite being warned about Hill's behaviour in 1981, the then Bishop did not inform police and let him carry on working.

Instead of sacking him, he sent him to the chaplaincy at Gatwick, where he came into contact with homeless youngsters.

In 1997, Hill was convicted of sex attacks on nine children, including a boy with learning difficulties whom he met at the airport. He was sentenced to five years in jail.

After being released early from jail, Hill was sentenced to a further five years in prison last November following his conviction on six more charges of indecent assault against three boys.

A spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church said although the file had been passed to the CPS, it did not mean the Cardinal would face any charges.

In recent years the Church has overhauled its procedures for dealing with child abuse and many of the new rules were introduced at the Cardinal's request.