Some women are likely to make fraudulent claims about being sexually abused by television personality Jimmy Savile, appeal judges have been told.

Trustees of a charity that is the major beneficiary of Savile's estate told the Court of Appeal that compensation claims had to be scrutinised.

They also said they had concerns about a compensation scheme agreed between the executor of Savile's estate - the NatWest bank - and lawyers representing alleged victims.

Earlier this year a High Court judge approved the scheme set up for victims of Savile, who died in October 2011 aged 84, despite objections from the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust.

Mr Justice Sales sanctioned the scheme following a High Court hearing in London in February and refused to order the NatWest bank to be replaced as executor.

The Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust wants the Court of Appeal to overturn Mr Justice Sales' decisions.

Three appeal judges began to analyse legal argument at a hearing in London, which is expected to end today.

Mr Justice Sales heard that Savile had been the subject of an ITV television programme broadcast in October 2012.

The judge said Savile, who worked at the BBC, had been accused of being a "serial child abuser and sex offender" and was alleged to have abused people in hospitals.

He said following the broadcast a "large number" of people had come forward to make claims that they were abused by Savile.

Lawyers say the number of people intending to make claims has now risen to more than 160.

Robert Ham, QC, for the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust, said the compensation scheme agreed did not assess the "validity" of claimants.

He added: "As a matter of common sense these sort of situations are likely to attract numbers of fraudulent claims. One certainly cannot proceed on the basis that the claims are valid."