A newly-appointed chief constable is under investigation over the management of a child sex abuse inquiry at his former force.

Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Andy Marsh was leading Hampshire Police when Operation Flamborough was set up to probe how officers investigated two rape claims against other students by a girl at Stanbridge Earls School, near Romsey.

After reviewing a decision not to prosecute, the Crown Prosecution Service decided in 2014 not to bring charges.

Following the claims and Ofsted inspections which raised concerns about safeguarding of pupils, the independent school, which had boarding and day pupils aged from 10 to 19, closed down after calling in administrators.

Mr Marsh, who became Avon and Somerset chief constable in February 2016 succeeding scandal-hit Nick Gargan, had been subject of a previous inquiry over Operation Flamborough which found there were ''no grounds to justify'' misconduct proceedings against him.

Sue Mountstevens, police and crime commissioner for Avon and Somerset, said: ''I've received a complaint against Chief Constable Andy Marsh relating to the terms of reference of Hampshire Constabulary's internal meetings regarding a child abuse investigation in 2013.

''Complaints were made against Mr Marsh in 2013 when he was the Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary.

''These complaints were referred to the Hampshire police and crime commissioner and were investigated for nearly 12-months by Essex Police Chief Constable Steve Kavanagh.

''In June 2014, Essex Police confirmed that they had found 'no grounds to justify' misconduct proceedings against Chief Constable Andy Marsh and the complaints were not upheld.

''I reviewed this latest complaint and given the background and the previous 12-month investigation I felt the complaint could be dealt with locally and directly with the complainant.

''The complainant has the right to appeal my decision.

''They have used that right, and the Independent Police Complaints Commission has referred the complaint back to me for local investigation, which means I will ask another police force to look at this.''

Andy Marsh, Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary said in a statement: “My oversight of Operation Flamborough has already been subject to the closest independent scrutiny.

"However we cannot forget the degree to which the family, and especially their child, have suffered and if further scrutiny is of help to them in recovering and moving forward then I welcome it. "The fundamental principles of openness and transparency should be the bedrock of policing. That has been my abiding belief through the last 28 years and it stands as true today as it did when I joined the service.”