Sir Cliff Richard prayed 'night after night' after being told of the sex abuse allegations that haunted him for two years, he has revealed.

The iconic Christian singer, who is currently on holiday in Barbados where he is sitting out some activities because he has been unwell, was investigated by South Yorkshire Police after he was accused of child sex abuse.

He opened up about the accusations on ITV after all charges were dropped in June last year.

'I got that phone call saying there were police about to raid my apartment. It was 22 months later when I got the good news at my house.'

The multimillionaire spoke from his luxury home in Barbados and said the experience strengthened his faith.

'I have a deeper faith, because it's far more simply now,' he said.

'When it happened I had people coming down that week. I'd been on the floor in tears, I was distraught.

'I prayed night after night.'

The comments come after he spoke about his devastation at losing his close friend Cilla Black.

When the 72-year-old died his reliance on God was deepened, Cliff said.

'I was distraught. When you go to bed you're on your own and that's when I became really dependent on God.'

The entertainer is being forced to sit out of acitivities like yoga and racket sports during his winter break in Barbados as he recovers from gallstones.

A source told The Sun: 'He's been having a lovely break in the sunshine but this has really hit him - he's been advised to rest until he's fully recovered.'