Two policemen who worked on the inquiry into the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman have been arrested on suspicion of child pornography.

The two officers were arrested at their homes in Cambridgeshire at 0700 BST on Thursday.

I will ensure that a full and impartial investigation is carried out into this matter

Duncan Gear, Police Complaints Authority

The arrests are not connected in any way with the murder inquiry, said Cambridgeshire Police.

The officers are suspected of inciting others to distribute indecent images of children.

The officers had worked on the inquiry into the deaths of the 10-year-olds from Soham.

The girls' bodies were found at a Suffolk beauty spot on 17 August, 13 days after they went missing from Soham, in Cambridgeshire.

The two officers are being questioned by officers from West Midlands Police supervised by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).

The force was called in by Cambridgeshire Police to carry out an independent inquiry into the allegations against the officers following an internal investigation.

Worldwide operation

The PCA confirmed it would oversee the inquiry, and said the officers had been arrested "in connection with child pornography on the internet".

PCA member Duncan Gear said: "I will ensure that a full and impartial investigation is carried out into this matter."

The latest arrests were part Operation Ore in which UK police have targeted computer users who allegedly pay to access websites in America selling pornographic images of children as young as five being sexually abused.

In May 36 people were arrested in a series of raids by the National Crime Squad.

Suspects have been traced as they have to give their credit card details and billing addresses to buy images.

FBI

Operation Ore is the UK wing of the FBI's Operation Candyman which has so far identified thousands of suspects around the world.

Details of suspects identified in Candyman were passed by the FBI to the UK's National Criminal Intelligence Service.

Holly and Jessica's parents have been informed of the arrests of the police officers.

On Tuesday former caretaker Ian Huntley, who is charged with the murders of the girls, was remanded to Rampton high security hospital until 8 October.

The 28-year-old also faces the new charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

Maxine Carr, 25, a former teaching assistant, has also been remanded in custody until 27 September charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.