Two men have been arrested today in connection with an allegation of historic child abuse in Brighton during the 1980s.

A 59-year-old man has been arrested in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire and a 44-year-old man has been arrested in Brighton on suspicion of sexual offences involving Nicola Fellows, one of the two victims of the Wild Park murders in 1986.

The two men have been taken into police custody for questioning.

This child abuse investigation, which is being led by DCI Adam Hibbert of Sussex Police's Major Crime Branch, is quite distinct from the ongoing unresolved inquiry into the deaths, commonly known as the 'Babes in the Wood' murders.

Nicola Fellows, ten, was found strangled to death with Karen Hadaway, nine on October 10, 1986. A pathologist concluded they died between 7pm and 8pm the day before.

Labourer Russell Bishop, now 43, who knew both girls and their families, was arrested two months later after helping the families with the search. He was charged with the murders, but after the prosecution admitted a string of errors in the presentation of forensic evidence, a jury at Lewes Crown Court acquitted him in 1987.

In 1991, he was jailed for life for the kidnap and sexual assault of a seven-year-old Brighton girl, and is still in prison, but has always denied the double murder.

In 2002, Sussex Police announced a review of the case after the double jeopardy rule was amended, but in September 2006, it said there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

A month later, the two families called on police to open the case again, saying there were seven witnesses who could have a bearing on the enquiry.

At the time, Karen's mother Michelle Johnson said: "We feel that those seven witnesses should have been called to play a part in the original trial and we are still waiting for that to happen."

Nicola's uncle Ian Heffron, said: "The police said that the evidence of those seven people is insignificant and inconsequential, but how can they say that when they haven't even been interviewed?"

Police are appealing for anyone with information that may assist this latest investigation to contact Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 quoting Operation Iford.