A COUNCILLOR has been questioned over the disappearance of a mayoral chain.

Former council speaker Ken Hall was arrested on Monday by police investigating how the £40,000 Middlesbrough chain went missing. He was interviewed and then released unconditionally.

Councillor Hall said the chain was found after he received an anonymous letter which directed him to a store cupboard beneath the Town Hall stage.

The arrest is the latest twist in the story of how the civic chain vanished at the installation ceremony for the chairman of Middlesbrough Council, Peter Porley, last month.

The chain, previously worn by the chairman of Cleveland County Council, was being used by Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon for an official photograph.

Before it went missing, it was last seen in the robing room at the Town Hall, which was searched after the alarm was raised.

Mr Mallon, the former head of Middlesbrough CID, ruled out suggestions that the council was the victim of a sneak thief, and said the motive was political and designed to embarrass the council and its mayor.

He blasted the culprit for wasting police time and warned they would not get away with it.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "Coun Hall was arrested in connection with the ongoing inquiry into the mayor's chain and following an interview, was released unconditionally."

Coun Hall represents Brookfield ward in Acklam and was speaker of the council in 2002/03.

He was unavailable to make a comment yesterday, and Mayor Mallon declined to comment.