81 year old William Roache was detained at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, this morning.

He's been arrested in relation to an historical allegation of raping an under-age girl in Lancashire between April and July 1967.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "An 81-year-old man from Wilmslow in Cheshire has this morning, Wednesday May 1 2013, been arrested by Lancashire Constabulary on suspicion of rape.

"The man will be interviewed at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.

"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously and would encourage people with any information about sexual abuse, or anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, to come forward and report their concerns confident in the knowledge they will be investigated appropriately and with sensitivity."

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "According to neighbours, plain clothes police arrived at his home in Wilmslow at around 8am. His home is being searched and police are questioning him about historical allegations."

Innocent until proven guilty

In an interview for a New Zealand news channel, the longest serving cast member of the ITV drama previously said sex abuse victims were paying the price for their behaviour in previous lives.

The soap legend also appeared to defend famous men who slept with underage girls.

And when talking about people accused of being abusers he says "we should not be judgemental about anybody ever".

In relation to his fellow cast member, Michael Lavelle, who was facing charges for sexual assualt at the same time the interview was held, Roache said "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty".