Two men charged with the kidnap of two young sisters from Middlesbrough have been released on conditional bail by magistrates.

The men, Shafqat Rafi, 29, of 50 Woodlands Road, and 34-year-old Arif Hussain, of Haddon Street, both in Middlesbrough, appeared at Teesside Magistrates' Court, just days after a nationwide search was launched to find Salina Hafeez, five, and her three-year-old sister Sarah. Yesterday, both men were released, following an appeal by their legal representative Richard Vaux.

As part of their bail the pair must remain at their current addresses, report to Middlesbrough police station between 2pm and 4pm daily, they must not interfere with prosecution witnesses or enter Cornfield road in Middlesbrough. Rafi was almost ordered to hand over his passport.

The hearing follows the appearance of 30-year-old Shanaz Hafeez, of Egerton Street, Middlesbrough, before magistrates on Saturday.

She is charged in connection with the kidnap and was remanded in custody until Wednesday April 7, when the two men are also set to appear at Teesside Crown Court.

The children were allegedly snatched as they walked along a street with their foster mother on Wednesday March 31. They were found 33 hours later, following the launch of a nationwide hunt, at a house in Acton Street, central Middlesbrough.

Three women and a man arrested at the same time have been released without charge.