Murdered girls: Media help sought

Holly and Jessica's disappearance sparked huge media coverage

CAMBRIDGE, England -- Police have asked reporters to hand over notes and video footage which may help in the investigation into the murder of two British schoolgirls.

About 200 journalists covered the disappearance, and later the murder inquiry, for the 10-year-old best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, from Soham, Cambridgeshire.

Police are now sending questionnaires asking for information.

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire police told the UK's Press Association: "We can confirm that questionnaires have been sent to journalists who have been identified as reporting on the Soham case as it is considered that they may be witnesses and may hold evidence relevant to the inquiry."

The spokeswoman added: "The purpose of this is to gauge what relevant information they have obtained.

"We do not want every notebook or piece of television footage.

"We would like to know what information they have and then we can decide if we need certain parts of it."

Many reporters interviewed school caretaker Ian Huntley, who has been charged with the girls' murders, and his girlfriend Maxine Carr, charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, before they were arrested.

Some of the questions asked in the questionnaire were:

Such a move by police is unusual, although it is the second time Cambridgeshire Police have asked the media for such help during the investigation.

At the end of last month television companies were asked to retain footage which could contain vital evidence.