Sir Norman Bettison will receive an £83,000-a-year pension unless he is convicted over the Hillsborough cover-up, Merseyside Police Authority said.

Families of the 96 fans who died in the 1989 tragedy had called for payments to be frozen during an IPCC probe into claims he misled previous inquiries.

The police authority said the payments, from a central taxpayers' pot, will come into effect now he has resigned.

If he is convicted of a criminal offence the pension can be forfeited.

In that instance, the authority or crime commissioner can seek permission to forfeit a pension from the Home Secretary.