A second man arrested in connection with the murder of Bath hospital worker Melanie Hall has been released without charge.

The 39-year-old, from Wiltshire, was arrested at 5.30pm yesterday afternoon after he went voluntarily into an unnamed police station in the Avon and Somerset force area.

He was the second to be arrested in two months over the 25-year-old’s death in 1996.

The man was questioned by detectives and kept in custody for 22 hours but was released on bail just after 4pm this afternoon.

Det Chief Insp Gareth Bevan, of the murder inquiry team, said it had not been a wasted exercise.

He said: “We had good reason to arrest this man and to hold him for questioning.

“There was no requirement to keep him in custody for any longer. He is now on bail and may be spoken to again as part of our continuing investigation.

“I once again urge anyone with information to come forward and provide us with the information and evidence we need to identify Melanie’s killer or killers and bring them to justice.”

Melanie’s body was found close to the M5 in Gloucestershire last October, giving new impetus to the inquiry into her disappearance from the then Cadillacs nightclub in Walcot Street 14 years ago.

It is not known whether this man was arrested or questioned as part of the original inquiry.

On July 1 a 38-year-old Bath man was arrested on suspicion of murder but also later released on bail.

Police urged anyone with information to contact the Murder Incident Room on 0117 9455811 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.