Thames Valley Police gave the wrong date when it said it had investigated a complaint that Sister Frances Dominica had sexually abused two women.

The force said in a statement the allegations – which Sister Frances "wholly refutes" – related to the 1970s. However the Crown Prosecution Service said the period the allegations covered was 1980 to 2000.

Today police admitted their original information was wrong and it was that 20-year timespan.

The police dropped the investigation and no charges were ever laid.

However, Helen and Douglas House has said that following an independent review, it had asked Sister Frances, who founded the hospices, to sever her ties with the organisation.