A couple arrested after the decomposing body of a two-year-old boy was found in his cot have been released on bail, police said today.

The man, 25, and the 21-year-old woman have been held in custody since the grim discovery on Thursday. The couple, who have not been named, have not been charged.

They were arrested when officers forced their way into a flat in Church Road, St Leonards, East Sussex, after a tip-off.

The couple were released on police bail for six weeks last night and were due to return to Hastings police station on February 12, a Sussex Police spokesman said This period would allow investigating officers to get the results of forensic tests and a second post mortem examination. An initial post mortem, performed on Thursday night, failed to disclose the cause of the child's death.

Police have confirmed that the child lay dead in his cot for two weeks over Christmas before being found by the officers.

Police have described the case as "sad and gruesome".

"It is a very sad case. It is also very tragic as the child lay in its cot for two weeks through Christmas," the spokesman said.

"It was a gruesome discovery for the officers who went into the flat.

"Counselling will be available to them if necessary."

A team of detectives was working on the case from an incident room at Hastings police station.