LONDON (AFP) - British police searched a property belonging to veteran singer Cliff Richard on Thursday as part of an investigation into an allegation of abuse against a boy decades ago, a spokesman said.

The 73-year-old, a star since the 1950s who won fame with songs such as Devil Woman and Living Doll, was not present at the time of the search at the home in the southern English county of Berkshire.

"Officers are currently searching the property" in the town of Sunningdale, said a spokesman for South Yorkshire Police, the force in northern England conducting the investigation.

"A search warrant was granted after police received an allegation of a sexual nature dating back to the 1980s involving a boy who was under the age of 16 at the time.

"No one has been arrested and the owner of the property was not present."

Richard has sold more than 250 million records over his career and has been nicknamed the Peter Pan of Pop for his enduring youthful looks.

A committed Christian who shunned the sex, drugs and alcohol lifestyle, the singer in 1995 became the first British rock star to be knighted.

The veteran singer, in a statement issued shortly after reports emerged of the police action, said allegations of sex crimes against him were "completely false.

"For many months I have been aware of allegations against me of historic impropriety which have been circulating online. The allegations are completely false," he said in the statement.