London: British police said today they have received historical child sex abuse claims against 261 public figures, including 76 politicians, as they respond to a surge in complaints sparked by the Jimmy Savile scandal.

A review of investigations by regional police forces has identified 1,433 suspects all men in cases of alleged abuse by prominent public figures or people in institutions such as schools and hospitals. They include 261 prominent figures, including 135 from world of television, film or radio, 76 local to national level politicians, 43 from the music industry and seven from the world of sport.