A 28-year-old nurse arrested over the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another six has been bailed.

Lucy Letby was detained earlier this week after a long-running investigation by police investigating 17 baby deaths at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

In a statement, the Cheshire Police said: “[We] can confirm that the woman arrested on Tuesday 3 July has now been bailed pending further enquiries.

“We continue to recognise that this investigation has a huge impact on all of the families, staff, and patients at the hospital as well as members of the public.

“This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children.”

A second hospital where Letby completed a work placement in 2011, the Liverpool Women’s Hospital, has also been co-operating with the probe.

Police continue to search Ms Letby’s semi-detached house in Westbourne Road, Blacon, although a silver Suzuki car was no longer at the address.

The vehicle, which had a NHS parking permit in the window, was moved by officers on Tuesday to the neighbouring driveway to clear space to erect a blue forensics tent, which remains in place.

Detective Inspector Paul Hughes said her arrest was a “significant step forward” in what was a “highly complex and very sensitive investigation”.

He added that the probe was “very much active and ongoing” and that parents of all the babies were being updated on the inquiry and supported by trained officers.

Detectives launched an investigation into infant deaths at the hospital in May last year, initially looking at the deaths of 15 babies between June 2015 and June 2016.