He told the High Court he was eating lunch when he was told the news and spent the afternoon at a winery before returning to his hotel, where he watched footage of the raid.

The singer said he was contacted by staff from the estate management company which looks after his apartment.

Members of the public and press in court for the hearing laughed as Sir Cliff said he told them to let police in or they would knock the door down, adding: "And it is a very nice door."

He said he also received a phone call from his friend Gloria Hunniford, who was in court for the hearing.

In his witness statement, Sir Cliff said it was "good to hear from her" and that he immediately felt "slightly comforted".

He was also asked by BBC lawyers about entries in his diary which indicated his "strong feelings" about the raid and the investigation.

Sir Cliff said he waited 22 months, between August 2014 and June 2016, before finding out that prosecutors would not be taking further action.

He said he initially thought the matter would be cleared up quickly, adding: "I know that I didn't do it, he (his accuser) knows that I didn't do it, and God knows that I didn't do it.

"Unfortunately for me it lasted much longer than I thought."