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EDITIONS
Saturday, 10 August, 2002, 19:29 GMT 20:29 UK
Police retrace girls' last steps
Police reconstruction
The girls were dressed to look like Holly and Jessica
Police in Soham have staged a reconstruction of the last known steps of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, the 10-year-old girls who disappeared last Sunday.

Two girls, chosen for their resemblance to the best friends and dressed identically to them, traced their last known movements through the Cambridgeshire town

Detectives hope it will help focus the minds of potential witnesses and bring new clues.

Two men have been arrested for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the inquiry, but police have stressed that they do not consider it a "significant development".

Holly Wells
Holly is an avid football fan

Police also revealed that a computer used by the girls contains a "wealth of information", although it is now known they had not been in a chat room shortly before they disappeared.

Detectives reiterated their belief that the girls were still alive and said the reconstruction could bring the vital clue they need to find them.

The route of the reconstruction was worked out with help from Holly's father.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Hebb told the BBC: "There's always people out there that may not realise they have actually seen something of interest to us.

"No matter how small the bit of information they have got, that might be the key that we're waiting for."

He said expert advice from clinical psychologists and offender profilers continued "to indicate to us that the girls are likely to be alive at this time".

Mr Hebb also revealed that officers have ruled out a possible sighting of the girls at a Q8 petrol station, after experts enhanced footage taken there by a CCTV camera struck by lightning.

Jessica Chapman
Friends appealed for Jessica's safe return

Playing down the significance of the two arrests, acting Detective Superintendent David Beck said: "During one of the number of routine inquiries the men failed to co-operate with investigating officers.

"In view of the seriousness with which we take this inquiry, we will take positive action against anyone whose conduct arouses suspicion."

The families of Jessica and Holly have been told of the arrests, which are thought to be of one man in his 30s and another in his 40s.

The men were arrested in separate locations - one on Friday afternoon, the other early on Saturday morning - and are being held in separate Cambridgeshire police stations.

'Harmful intent'

One of the strongest lines of inquiry remains the internet and detectives say they are following "significant leads" from Holly's computer.

Mr Hebb said that although it is now clear they were not in chatrooms just before they vanished the computers "clearly contain a wealth of information that give us lines of inquiry that we can follow".

  • Holly and Jessica, who were wearing Manchester United shirts, are white, about 4ft 6in tall and slim.

    Jessica is tanned and has shoulder-length brown hair while Holly is fair and has blonde hair.

    Anyone with information should call police on 01480 422982.

  •  WATCH/LISTEN
     ON THIS STORY
    The BBC's Clarence Mitchell
    "The hunt for the girls has widened"
    Det Chief Insp Andy Hebb
    "I'm delighted with how it's gone this afternoon"
    Police reconstruction
    Two actresses retrace the last known movements of Jessica and Holly
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