DETECTIVES hunting a child abductor who took a six-year-old from her bath have arrested three people on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Police last month appealed for help in tracing a mystery caller who rang the incident room and pubs in the North Tyneside area, and is believed to have named a suspect.

As a result, three people - a man and woman from Lincolnshire and a Tyneside man - were arrested yesterday.

The Tyneside man was cautioned for perverting the course of justice, while the Lincolnshire man was bailed pending further inquiries.

The woman was still being held in North Shields Police Station today on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The little girl was snatched from her bath on December 27, sexually assaulted in the paedophiles car, then dumped naked in the freezing back alley of a street near her home.

Despite numerous appeals for information, no-one has been arrested nearly three months on.

Police will speak to known sex-offenders and investigate tip-offs from the public.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Napier said today: The inquiry continues with the same vigour enthusiasm as from the outset and the team remains committed to catching the attacker.

I am confident that the net is closing on the attacker.

A significant number of inquiries are still on-going.