Milly claims probed

Britain's police watchdog is investigating claims that a Surrey Police officer gave information about the Milly Dowler murder probe to the News of the World, it said today.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it had received a voluntary referral from the force about an allegation that an officer gave information to the newspaper in relation to the investigation into Milly’s murder in 2002.

The watchdog said a decision had been made that it will independently investigate.

A statement said: “An IPCC Deputy Senior Investigator has been over at Surrey Police this morning to get more information about the case and will be writing to the Dowler family, via their solicitors at their request, this afternoon and offering to meet to give them more detail.

“Until then, it would not be appropriate for us to make any further detail public.”

A spokeswoman for Surrey Police said: ``Surrey Police has referred a matter relating to the conduct of an officer involved in the Operation Ruby investigation to the IPCC.

“Any further inquiries should be redirected to them.”