How serial murders manhunt unfolded

YESTERDAY’S arrest comes after a huge police manhunt was launched more than a fortnight ago following the discovery of 25-year-old Gemma Adams. Here is the timeline of events leading up to the arrest:

* November 7: Detectives say they are “extremely concerned” about the disappearance of 19-year-old prostitute Tania Nicol, who vanished after leaving her home in Ipswich, Suffolk, on October 30.

* November 15: Prostitute Gemma Adams, 25, vanishes from the red light district of Ipswich in the early hours.

* December 2: A naked body is found in a brook at Hintlesham, Suffolk, by a member of the public.

*December 8: A second naked body of a woman is found by police divers searching areas of water at Copdock Mill, near Ipswich.

* December 9: Police confirm that the second body is that of a prostitute and she is named as Ms Nicol.

* December 10: A body of a third prostitute is found in woodland in Nacton, near Ipswich.

* December 11: Police move the body of the prostitute found at Nacton and she is named locally as Anneli Alderton, 24, from Essex.

*December 12: Detectives find two more bodies. Police say the “natural assumption” is that the bodies are the two missing women.

* December 13: Police say they are following a “number of interesting leads”.

* December 14: The body of the fourth woman found at Levington is confirmed as Ms Clennell. The body of the second woman found at Levington is removed to an Ipswich hospital for tests.

* December 15: Detectives name the fifth victim as missing prostitute Ms Nicholls.

* December 16: Ms Alderton was three months pregnant when she died, police confirm.

* December 17: Detectives say they have questioned and released on police bail a man in relation to an “attempted abduction” in Ipswich last month.

* December 18: Police announce that they have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering all five women.