Man held over search for boys missing 27 years

RUC mounting a renewed search for two young boys who disappeared in Belfast 27 years ago have arrested a 69-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Thomas Spence, 11 and John Rodgers, 13, disappeared while on their way to school in west Belfast in November 1974.

RUC are preparing to dig up the rear gardens of two houses in a street where one of the boys lived.

As they did so a senior officer revealed they had made an arrest.

Detective superintendent John Short said the RUC is investigating the abduction and murder of the two missing boys and the man had been arrested on suspicion of murder.

He said the suspect had lived in west Belfast at the time the boys disappeared and had been detained in Northern Ireland.

Mr Short said: "He is helping police with the investigation. He had been known to the RUC for a period of time."

He said that at this stage the RUC did not anticipate making any further arrests.