Alice Gross: Police release arrested man

Alice Gross was last seen near the Grand Union Canal on 28 August

Detectives looking for missing schoolgirl Alice Gross have released a 51-year-old man who was being held on suspicion of her murder.

Police have been given more time to question a 25-year-old man who was arrested in Ealing, London, on Saturday afternoon.

Alice, 14, from Hanwell, west London, was last seen near the Grand Union Canal on 28 August.

She had recently been diagnosed with anorexia, her mother said.

Police said the 51-year-old would face no further action following his release.

Officers have until Tuesday to question the 25-year-old, who was arrested on suspicion of murder.

The Metropolitan Police said the men had no connection to each other.

A Met spokesman said: "All lines of inquiry are still open and this remains a missing person investigation at this stage."

Police divers are continuing to search the canal where Alice was last seen 10 days ago.

'We are desperate'

The Brentside High School pupil left the family home at 13:00 BST on 28 August. She had said she was going to meet some friends and would be back that evening.

However, police discovered CCTV footage of her walking alone along the towpath of the canal that afternoon.

She was recorded by CCTV cameras at 14:23 BST near the Holiday Inn at Brentford Lock, heading towards Kew, and again at the same location walking towards Hanwell at 15:45 BST.

At 16:23 BST she was caught on camera near Trumpers Way Canal Bridge.

Her purple rucksack was found on Thursday near the River Brent.

Police have been searching around the Grand Union Canal

Alice is described as being 5ft 2in (1.57m) tall, slim, with shoulder-length light brown hair.

When her family last saw her, she was wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and denim Vans shoes. She may also be wearing tartan-framed spectacles.

The CCTV footage, released earlier this week, showed she had taken her cardigan off and was wearing a dark grey T-shirt.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss said: "We are desperate to know that she is safe and we really want her to know that we want her home, and we are desperate for her to know how loved she is."

A Met spokesman said: "All lines of inquiry are still open and this remains a missing person investigation at this stage."