London ( CNN ) -- A retired bishop and a retired priest have been arrested by British police on suspicion of sexual offences against boys and young men -- one as young as 12 -- in the 1980s and 1990s . The 80-year-old former Church of England bishop , from Somerset in south-west England , was questioned in connection with eight alleged offences before being released on medical advice . Police say the man -- the highest-ranking church official to be arrested on abuse allegations -- will be questioned again at a later date . His former colleague , a 67-year old retired priest from West Sussex , in southern England , was questioned over two alleged offences before being released on bail pending further inquiries . The pair are understood to have worked alongside each other in the Chichester Diocese , but police say the allegations are being treated separately , and that there is no suggestion that the men acted together . The latest sexual abuse scandal to hit the UK -- this one rocking the Anglican Church -- comes after two other British institutions , the BBC and the NHS , were caught up in the case of Jimmy Savile , a British TV presenter accused of assaulting vulnerable teenagers . Peter Saunders , of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood ( NAPAC ) , told CNN his organization had been inundated with reports of abuse since the Savile allegations came to light : `` We 've had four or five times as many calls to our support line and emails and messages ... just in these last few weeks -- it is overwhelming . I think what 's happening is that we are recognizing , as a country , the huge extent of the problem of child abuse . '' Detective Chief Inspector Carwyn Hughes of Sussex Police , who is leading the investigation , known as Operation Dunhill , said the Church of England was co-operating fully with police . `` The force will always take seriously any allegations of historic sexual offending , and every possible step will be taken to investigate whenever appropriate , '' he said in a statement . `` Allegations of historic offences are treated just as seriously as any more recent offences . '' The Right Reverend Paul Butler , Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham and Chair of the Churches National Safeguarding Committee said in a statement : `` The Church of England takes any allegations of abuse very seriously and is committed to being a safe place for all . `` We have robust procedures and policies in place , but we can never be complacent . We would like to urge any victims or those with information to feel free to come forward knowing that they will be listened to in confidence . '' Butler said the CofE -- which wanted its churches to be `` places of safety and joy , righteousness and justice '' -- had offered support to those involved in Operation Dunhill . One of the alleged victims in the case told CNN he was grateful to the Archbishop of Canterbury , Rowan Williams , for instigating the review which had led to police investigating the abuse allegations , but said he wanted the Church of England to issue an official apology . Sussex Police insists that there are `` no allegations of recent or current offending '' and that there is nothing to suggest any young people are currently at risk .
A retired bishop and a retired priest have been arrested by British police on suspicion of sexual offences . The pair are understood to have worked alongside each other in the Chichester Diocese . Police say the Church of England is co-operating fully with them . Sussex Police insists that there are `` no allegations of recent or current offending ''