Mr Westwood was suspended after the authority met

Humberside Police Authority had defied David Blunkett's order to suspend him in the wake of criticism in the Bichard report on the Soham case.

The authority has until Tuesday to respond to the report's findings.

If Mr Blunkett is not satisfied with its response, he could decide to order it to sack Mr Westwood.

Should the authority again decide to challenge his order, the matter could pass to a public inquiry and it might be several months before Mr Westwood's fate is finally decided, BBC correspondent John Andrew says.

Appeal denied

The High Court ruled on Friday the home secretary was entitled to suspend Mr Westwood from duty.

The police authority was denied leave to appeal against the court's decision.

It is the first time Mr Blunkett had used the Police Reform Act 2002 to order a chief constable's suspension.

Mr Justice Stanley Burnton said that by refusing to suspend Mr Westwood or taking any action the police authority was in default of its statutory duty.

Mr Blunkett's decision did not mean Mr Westwood was being asked to quit, the judge said, but was an interim step while an inquiry was carried out into his future.

HAVE YOUR SAY He should have been suspended, but that should be a decision for the police authority Ganesh Sittampalam, Oxford Send us your comments

Criticisms in the Bichard report, published last week, were serious enough to justify Mr Blunkett's action, the judge said.

Sir Michael Bichard criticised Mr Westwood after his force's failings allowed serial sex attacker Ian Huntley to get a job as a school caretaker in Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Huntley went on to murder 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in August 2002.

After Friday's hearing, the chief constable's solicitor Stephen Parkinson confirmed Mr Westwood had been suspended as a result of the home secretary's action and was grateful for the confidence shown in him by the authority.

Mr Blunkett said: "I now want a proper and full response from Humberside Police Authority on the very serious and substantial issues raised in the Bichard report which should have begun ten days ago," he said.

"The Home Office police standards unit and HM Chief Inspectorate of Constabulary will continue the work begun months ago to improve the delivery of policing in Humberside.

"In the meantime we will get on with pulling together all the agencies to address the wider inquiry recommendations."

Authority chairman Colin Inglis said he was disappointed by the decision but accepted it.

Mr Westwood's deputy Steve Love has taken over as acting chief constable.