Met called in to review hunt

A team of senior Scotland Yard detectives has been called in to hold an urgent review of the hunt for Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

The Metropolitan Police team has been asked by Cambridgeshire Chief Constable Tom Lloyd to carry out a thorough study of the progress of the investigation so far at a time when detectives are still waiting for a breakthrough.

The move comes amid concerns that the investigation led by Detective Superintendent David Beck has been struggling to sift the huge number of calls which have come in response to public appeals for help to bring the missing 10-yearolds home safely.

It is normal for detectives from an outside force to review the progress of a major crime investigation once it reaches the 28-day mark without success. However, the Scotland Yard detectives have been called in on day 11 of the hunt for the abductor suspected of snatching Holly and Jessica from Soham.

Mr Lloyd, who cut short a family holiday in France to return to Cambridgeshire yesterday, took the unusual step of seeking advice from the Met after two days of growing disquiet about the 320-strong team's ability to handle the sheer weight of information facing them.

The force has been criticised for taking several days to follow up a taxi driver's possible sighting of the girls.

Ian Webster's report has now been ruled out, but it raises concerns about whether other possible leads have been missed as phone calls have come in at a rate of up to 1,800 per day. The London team will look at the systems and structures in the incident room, review the progress to date and ask detectives to consider new lines of inquiry.

Similar reviews have helped galvanise murder investigations such as the Jill Dando and Damilola Taylor-cases. Mr Lloyd was set to confirm the review today because he wants to ensure that no scrap of evidence is missed while there is still hope the girls may be alive.

A source told the Standard: "The large volume of incoming calls is a major issue. The review will not be done in a critical way, but the team will be looking at how well data has been processed.

"With any long-running inquiry, you have to examine how you can turn things from investigation, to evidence, to conviction."

The development comes as it was claimed that the Home Office is expected to order a review of policing methods which could pave the way for a dedicated national task force similar to the FBI to handle high-profile crimes.

The Home Office has played down the suggestion, but Tony Arbour, a Conservative member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, told The Times he would campaign for the proposal, insisting: "Smaller forces do not have the expertise which could be provided by some kind of central bureau."

? Additional reporting by Justin Davenport and Harriet Arkell