THREE men remain in custody today being questioned under suspicion of the kidnap and murder of Nythe girl Sally Ann John after police made their first arrests in two decades yesterday morning.

Investigations into the historic case moved at break-neck speed after forensic teams finished scouring the last known address of the girl, who disappeared on September 8, 1995.

Teams of specialist officers and crime scene investigators moved into the flat in Kimmeridge Close on Monday morning, and meticulously combed the property for any trace of Sally Ann, hunting for any personal items or DNA evidence which could be linked with her death, and ultimately find those responsible.

The officers were joined by blood dogs from South Wales Police, and used ground-penetrating radar equipment to search the flat over two and a half days.

A fresh appeal for information was launched, with posters distributed around Nythe and Broadgreen, where the last confirmed sighting of Sally Ann was logged.

Several new calls came into the Operation Maestro team of detectives this week, as they have been working under the assumption Sally Ann was murdered shortly after her disappearance.

A number of items which could have significance to the investigation have been retrieved from the flat in Kimmeridge Close, and will now be subject to further analysis.

The men arrested on Thursday morning, from Swindon and Chippenham, would have been in their late 20s or early 30s at the time Sally Ann disappeared.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “We can confirm that three men have been arrested in connection with the death of Sally Ann John.

“Two men aged 50 and 52 years from Swindon, and a 52-year-old from Chippenham have all been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and murder.

“They were all taken into custody at Gablecross Police Station in Swindon where they currently remain.”

Over the last year, the team of detectives from Wiltshire and Avon and Somerset have been revisiting historic aspects of the case, interviewing those who knew Sally Ann at the time, to firm up the picture of exactly what happened 20 years ago.

Det Chief Insp Jem Carter, leading the investigation, said: “I am absolutely determined to find out who was responsible and bring them to justice.

“During the last year there has been a significant revisiting of people who have provided information to the initial investigation, and a number of new witnesses have been identified.

“Some of those people are from quite vulnerable backgrounds, so it has taken a considerable while to engage with them, but we are getting a fuller picture of what happened and I am optimistic.”

As proceedings are now active police have urged the public not to speculate in any way as to the identities of the three men.

Swindon commander Supt Charlie Armstrong said: “Following the three arrests we now have a substantial amount of work to do in terms of interviewing individuals, and it would be wrong for the public to speculate on any details at this time.

“We have arrested three people from Swindon and Chippenham, and they remain in custody.”

The man leading the team

BREAKTHROUGHS in the probe into Sally Ann’s murder and suspected abduction have come three months after new lead detective Jem Carter inherited the case.

DCI Carter joined the Major Crime Investigation Team in June, taking over the murder investigation from outgoing Det Insp Tim Corner, who has since moved to the Professional Standards Department.

Having been commended in 2012 for long service with the force during his time leading response teams in Chippenham, DCI Carter comes into major crimes with a background in Child Protection and Public Protection.

After significant developments in the Operation Maestro investigation over recent days, he said he feels increasingly positive his team is now closer to finding the truth and bringing justice for Sally Ann’s family.

Items of note recovered from her former flat are yet to be fully examined, and the police presence in Nythe will soon be dissipating.

“The search has been completed and I am now taking expert advice on what further examination is required of several items found,” he said.

“This may have been a cold case but forensic technology and investigative policing has moved on dramatically and I will ensure that we use every possible tool available to us to identify those responsible for Sally Ann’s death.

“I would like to reiterate our thanks to the occupants of the house who have no involvement in this investigation and the local community for their assistance and co-operation.

“I would also like to thank the team from South Wales Police and other partners for their assistance.”

If you have information on the disappearance of Sally Ann call 101 or Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.

Trail of clues in years of investigation

September 8, 1995: Last confirmed sighting of Sally Ann, at 10.45pm around the areas of Aylesbury Street and Station Road.

September 9, 1995: Man spotted alongside woman fitting Sally Ann's description looking at train timetables at Swindon train station at around 4.45pm. The same woman is seen alone in the station after 7pm the same day.

September 9/10, 1995: Missing persons enquiry launched and search of Sally Ann's flat in Kimmeridge Close shows she had not been home for clothes or a mobile phone.

September 11, 1995: Sally Ann's boyfriend questioned by police and says he last spoke to her on the phone the night she disappeared.

September 14, 1995: Descriptions of Sally Ann given to nearby police forces to widen the scope of the missing persons investigation.

September 16, 1995: Sex workers in Swindon are interviewed as part of the investigation, and searches extend to known locations in Bristol, Bournemouth, Birmingham and London.

September 22, 1995: Mum Lesley appeals in the media for her daughter to come home, saying she fears the worst.

November 3, 1995: Sally Ann fails to turn up to court to answer four offences of working as a vice girl in Swindon.

January 3, 1996: Police say they are beginning to scale down their hunt for Sally Ann after a number of possible sightings are reported.

September 1999: Police use the fourth anniversary of her disappearance to launch a fresh appeal for information.

November 2014: A cold case review of the missing persons enquiry unearths new leads.

November 17, 2014: Police reclassify the case as a murder investigation and relaunch appeal for information.

November 19, 2014: Flurry of calls received by Operation Maestro from people who knew Sally Ann in 1995.

September 14, 2015: Crime scene investigators begin fingertip searches of the flat in Kimmeridge Close to find any clues which may remain.

September 17, 2015: Three men arrested on suspicion of the kidnap and murder of Sally Ann John.