A priest was caught naked in a car with a 10-year-old girl in a village near Florence, Italian media report.

The 70-year-old cleric was arrested by the police. He is now under house arrest and has been suspended from exercising his priestly duties by the Bishop of Florence.

Media report that the priest was seen in the car with the girl on Monday at around 10pm, parked in a supermarket parking area on the road between the parish church and the girl’s residence.

The car was noticed by two residents who approached it and, seeing both the girl and the priest without clothes, raised the alarm. Italian media report that a group of residents insulted the priest and were stopped from attacking him by the police.