Police investigating Sir Cliff Richard following a sex-assault allegation joked about arresting the singer at Wimbledon, a High Court judge has been told.

The BBC reporter who broke a story about Sir Cliff’s home being searched told a colleague what police had said, Mr Justice Mann heard.

Detail emerged on Friday during the latest stage of a trial in the High Court in London.

Sir Cliff has sued the BBC over coverage of the South Yorkshire Police search in August 2014 and wants damages at the “top end” of the scale.

He says the coverage, which involved the use of a helicopter, was a “very serious invasion” of his privacy.

The BBC disputes his claims.

Bosses say coverage of the search of the apartment in Sunningdale, Berkshire, was accurate and in good faith.

Mr Justice Mann has heard how journalist Dan Johnson asked a South Yorkshire Police press officer if Sir Cliff was on the “radar” after getting a tip that the singer was being investigated.