Jimmy Savile may have been questioned by detectives investigating the Yorkshire Ripper murders, West Yorkshire Police confirmed today.

The revelation comes after a senior officer who worked on the inquiry revealed the disgraced DJ was a suspect in the notorious case more than 30 years ago.

Former West Yorkshire Police detective John Stainthorpe said police approached the Leeds-born presenter after an anonymous tip-off.

Mr Stainthorpe, who spent 40 years in the force, told ITV's Calendar News: "When the Ripper was really active, one of the suspects put forward by the public was, in fact, Jimmy Savile. Obviously, it was not he, but he was interviewed along with many others."

Mr Stainthorpe said the person who reported Savile was "aiming in the right direction", adding: "Child perverts soon become child killers."

West Yorkshire Police confirmed Savile may have been questioned by Ripper detectives but did not reveal when he was quizzed or why.

A force spokesman said: "As with thousands of other men in Leeds at the time, he may at some time have been approached by detectives on the investigation.

"What is without doubt is that Savile was clearly not the Yorkshire Ripper."

Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has jumped to the defence of Savile, who he says befriended him during regular visits to Broadmoor high security hospital.

Dismissing claims the late DJ abused around 300 victims over six decades, he told the Sun newspaper that those making allegations were "jumping on the bandwagon".

Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women in 1981 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He remains at Broadmoor and has been told he will never be freed.

Savile, who died last year aged 84, has also been linked to allegations of abuse at a care home in north Wales, according to fresh reports.

The Sun claimed boys were molested for his "entertainment" at Bryn Estyn in the 1970s.

Lawyers representing the disgraced DJ's alleged victims today said they have notified his estate executors, the BBC and three hospitals that they plan to launch damages claims against.

Three more cases are likely to be pursued against the BBC in the coming weeks, one lawyer said.

The former presenter's £4 million estate has already been frozen by executors, NatWest.

Law firm Pannone, which has been contacted by 46 of his alleged victims, says it has received "firm instructions" to proceed with eight claims.

Seven will be made against Savile's estate and one will be launched against the BBC and his estate jointly.

All victims were aged between 10 and 13 when the alleged abuse took place in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Pannone lawyer Alan Collins said: "I anticipate around three more against the BBC in the coming weeks.

"It's very serious stuff. If Savile was alive and convicted, he'd be looking at a very long stretch in prison, if not life."

He said they were receiving new complaints by the day, around 40% of which have been made by men.

Liz Dux, an expert in child abuse cases at lawyers Russell, Jones & Walker, said she has been contacted by around 35 victims.

She said letters have been sent to the BBC and Leeds General Infirmary, Stoke Mandeville and Broadmoor hospitals telling them legal action is planned against them. NatWest has also been contacted in its role as estate executor.

Russell, Jones & Walker's "letters of action" represent victims generally, rather than specific cases, due to many complaints being "strikingly similar", she said.

"We're still getting claims in by the day," said Ms Dux. "The evidence that victims are giving is strikingly similar.

"Some very serious cases are coming forward now, and not just women. There's a reasonable percentage of men."

She added that some of the male complainants have made allegations of very serious sexual assaults by Savile.