Man arrested over disappearance of Jill Meagher in Melbourne

CCTV footage showed a man in a blue top speaking to Mrs Meacher before her disappearance

Melbourne police investigating the disappearance of Irish woman Jill Meagher have arrested a man.

The 41-year-old was arrested in the suburb of Coburg on Thursday.

Mrs Meagher, who was originally from Drogheda, was on a work night out with colleagues when she disappeared in the early hours on Saturday.

On Wednesday, police released CCTV footage taken minutes before her disappearance.

The images showed six people walking near the 29-year-old.

They have all been urged to come forward.

The detective leading the investigation said on Wednesday that police were keen to talk to a man who appeared to be talking to Mrs Meagher in part of the footage.

Det Insp John Potter told journalists that detectives did not know whether the man knew Mrs Meagher, but that it appeared to be a casual conversation.

Mrs Meagher is known to have phoned her brother in Perth from 01:43 to 01:45 local time just after the footage ends.

The handbag she is seen carrying in the footage was found in a nearby lane on Monday morning and police believe it may have been planted there.

Jill Meagher has been missing since the weekend

The apartment that Mrs Meagher shared with her husband Tom was searched twice on Tuesday, but Det Insp Potter said that Mr Meagher was not being treated "in any way" as a suspect.

Police said they have grave concerns for Mrs Meagher's safety five days after her disappearance.

A major investigation was launched after Mrs Meagher went missing and police are continuing to work through hours of CCTV footage.

Mrs Meagher works for ABC radio.

She moved with her husband to Australia from Ireland three years ago.