The chief of police in Cologne has been "relieved of his duties" after a series of violent attacks and sexual assaults in the city on New Year's Eve, Reuters reports, citing a state government source.

Wolfgang Albers, aged 60, faced heavy criticism over his handling of the attacks, in which around 1,000 "foreign-looking" men mugged, threatened and assaulted women in the city centre as they rang in 2016.

He has reportedly now been told by state interior minister Ralf Jaeger that he would be given early retirement.

An official announcement is expected later today.