Former Prime Minister and ex-MP for Bexley Sir Edward Heath “raped a 12-year-old boy after picking him up on the A2”, it has been claimed.

A man, now in his 60s, alleges he was attacked in Park Lane, London, by the Conservative MP.

Sir Edward represented Bexley from 1950 to 1974, then Sidcup and then Old Bexley and Sidcup until 2001.

The alleged victim, who says he was abused throughout his childhood by his father and his paedophile friends, claims Sir Edward picked him up along the A2 in north Kent as he hitched a lift before taking him back to a Park Lane apartment, the Daily Mirror reported.

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It was not until 1965 that he realised who his alleged abuser was, recognising him from a picture in a newspaper with Margaret Thatcher.

In statements to his legal team reported in the newspaper, he said: "I learned that he was MP for Bexley.

"This answered a lot of questions as to why no-one believed me about the London saga.

"I got called a liar and a fantasist."

The Met Police declined to comment on the claims.

Sir Edward, who was Prime Minister for four years in the 1970s, is the highest profile figure to be embroiled in historic abuse allegations against prominent figures.

An inquiry has been launched into an alleged cover-up of child sex allegations, amid claims that a prosecution against an individual was shelved after a threat was made to "expose" the Conservative politician.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is looking into whether Wiltshire Police followed up a claim against Sir Edward, which was made in the 1990s.

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A woman who was in charge of a brothel had been due to stand trial but said she would expose the top politician, according to reports.

Wiltshire Police have appealed for potential victims of Sir Edward to come forward, after launching an inquiry on the back of allegations made by a retired senior officer.

Superintendent Sean Memory, of Wiltshire Police, said: "The allegation is that a trial was due to take place in the 1990s and information was received in that trial that Sir Ted Heath was involved in the abuse of children and the allegation is from the result of that information that the trial never took place.

"A retired senior police officer has come forward towards the end of 2014 indicating that they were aware of this information.

"This is an appeal for victims in particular. If you have been the victim of any crime from Sir Ted Heath or any historical sexual offence, or you are a witness or you have any information about this, then please come forward."

The IPCC has confirmed it will investigate allegations concerning the force's handling of an “alleged claim of child sexual abuse made in the 1990s”.

A spokesman said: "It is alleged that a criminal prosecution was not pursued when a person threatened to expose that Sir Edward Heath may have been involved in offences concerning children.

"In addition to this allegation, the IPCC will examine whether Wiltshire Police subsequently took any steps to investigate these claims."

The Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation added: "We welcome the investigation by Wiltshire Police, which we wholeheartedly believe will clear Sir Edward's name and we will co-operate fully with the police in their inquiries.”

Sir Edward died at home in Salisbury aged 89 in July 2005.