The girl was found naked and screaming in an alleyway

Northumbria Police confirmed they had made contact with officers in Cardiff, as a "matter of course", but there was no evidence as yet to link the attacks.

The six-year-old was sexually assaulted just over a week ago and dumped in an alley near her home in North Tyneside.

The toddler from Cardiff was kidnapped and raped on Monday.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that the two forces have made contact, but this is routine in these cases."

A 26-year-old has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the three-year-old in Cardiff, following a police chase in Wiltshire early on Tuesday.

Two others, aged 34 and 47, had already been arrested and are being questioned by police.

Reassure public

The Tyneside girl was snatched from the bath of her home in Willington Quay and later found by a neighbour screaming and naked in an alley in Armstrong Road.

She said the man was white, between 5ft 4in and 5ft 8in tall, may have had sideburns, and was wearing a black coat, hat and gloves.

On Tuesday night Northumbria detectives stopped more than 60 vehicles and questioned motorists at a series of road blocks in North Tyneside.

Det Ch Insp Jim Napier, who is leading the investigation, said police patrols in the area had been stepped up to "reassure" the public and house-to-house inquiries were continuing.

Detectives believe the abductor drove along a number of streets with his victim in the car, including Park Road, Laurel Street, High Street, High Street East and Tynemouth Road.