HUNDREDS of hotel staff and guests are to be questioned by detectives investigating claims that a teenage schoolgirl was gang-raped in an incident involving up to eight Premiership footballers.

Police said yesterday that they were interviewing everybody who was at the Grosvenor House hotel in Park Lane, London, in the early hours of last Saturday.

However, detectives will not interview the players at the centre of the allegations until they have clearly identified the suspects and built up enough evidence to question them.

The publicist Max Clifford announced yesterday that he had been approached by the alleged victim and her father. “I have already been discussing this with the girl herself, and the father of the girl” he said. “No one is discussing anything about selling stories.”

Such is the depth of concern at the BBC that it is preparing to switch off its pitchside microphones at grounds around the country this afternoon to prevent the broadcast of any chants of the names of the players said to be involved.

Commander John Yates, who is in charge of the case, appealed for potential witnesses to come forward. “If we have not spoken to you yet or you were simply visiting the hotel that night, then please get in contact with us,” he said.

In a clear indication that the investigation is likely to be lengthy, Mr Yates also appealed to the 17-year-old, her family, the footballers and their club to be patient.

“Rape and sexual assault investigations are, by their very nature, extremely complex,” he said. “It is thus vitally important that the police are in a position to consider all of the circumstances prior to taking any action.

“This will take time and I urge all those involved to show patience and restraint. Our investigation will take as long as necessary. Its quality and fairness to all those involved are the most vital things.”

There were up to 400 staff on duty at the hotel at the time, and with many of the 590 rooms occupied, the inquiry may involve interviews with up to 1,000 potential witnesses.

The investigation began at 5pm last Saturday when the girl, a sixth former at a Catholic school, walked into Marylebone police station.

Tearfully, she told detectives that she had consented to sex at the hotel with one footballer, before being raped and assaulted by several other footballers, many of them players from another club. It was an account that was both confused and confusing.

What is clear is that a few hours later a friend or relative of the girl contacted The Sun to tip off reporters that the investigation was under way.

Shortly after detectives arrived at the Grosvenor House to seal off room 316, the £200-a-night third-floor room where the attack is alleged to have happened, reporters from several newspapers were also descending on the hotel. Many booked in for several nights while they chatted to any staff with a titbit to offer.

Since then, however, extraordinarily few details have emerged. Scotland Yard remains stung by criticism of the Christine and Neil Hamilton debacle, during which the couple were arrested amid widespread publicity and questioned about false rape allegations. Their accuser is currently serving a three-year prison sentence.

Mr Yates said: “It is vital to preserve the anonymity of all concerned in order for justice to be served. I would hate to see any chance of possible future proceedings put in jeopardy by further speculation or, equally, for men who have not been charged with any crime and who may not be linked to this offence to face a trial by media.”

Newspapers and broadcasters have also been hampered by fears of costly libel actions.

Most of the footballers who have fallen under suspicion are understood to play for one club: were that club to be identified, team-mates who were nowhere near the Grosvenor House may sue, claiming that a slur has been cast over their own reputations.

The one publication which has named the club, the Daily Sport, is now the subject of a complaint to the Attorney-General from lawyers representing one of the players.

A spokesman for BBC Five Live said that it would take all measures to make sure nothing illegal is broadcast.

“We are covering all this weekend’s Premiership matches live and as such we are concerned there may be libelous chants aimed at players,” he said. “But we will be closely monitoring these mikes and they will be turned off if any problems arise.”

Into this information vacuum have leapt thousands of cyber-gossips, football fans who have bombarded internet websites with lists which they claim reveal the names of the players involved.

Internet service providers have now shut down almost 100 such message boards, and lawyers for some of the players claim that they are recovering some of the thousands of e-mails which have been circulating around the country’s office workers, and are threatening to sue the originators.

Perhaps, given the intense interest in the case, it was only a matter of time before Max Clifford got involved. Mr Clifford said that the girl and her father wanted advice and protection from the “media scrum” that was developing around them. The girl was understood to be meeting lawyers today who will explain to her the potential legal ramifications of her allegations.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Shrinking violet Gordon turns into raging bull
• Eddie Izzard: 'I keep thinking if I do all these things she'll come back'
• Is sex for the disabled the last taboo?