Police ask Home Office to help pay Soham bill

The police force investigating the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman is asking the Home Office to help cover the multimillion-pound bill for the inquiry.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the second smallest force in the country, launched the largest murder hunt in recent history when the 10-year-olds disappeared from their hometown of Soham. Officers gave up holidays and days off, putting in hundreds of hours of overtime as they searched the area, hoping to find the girls alive.

Police from almost half the forces in the country, 21, were drafted in when the initial missing persons inquiry became one of abduction and then murder. Some of the country's most senior specialists in forensic science, offender profiling and murder inquiries were also enlisted to offer their expertise.

The final bill is expected to run into millions of pounds. Yesterday the force conceded that it would be applying to the Home Office for extra funding.

The chairman of the Cambridgeshire Police Authority, John Reynolds, said the cost of Operation Fincham would not be known for some months because inquiries were continuing. "The cost has not been mentioned earlier, as the most important thing was to try to solve the case," he said. "It is something we are keeping our eye on. We will be approaching the Home Office for funding when we have a better idea of the costs involved."

At one point, 426 police officers, some working 20-hour days, were investigating the disappearance of the girls, sifting some 14,000 calls from members of the public.The home of Ian Huntley, who is charged with the girls' murders, and Maxine Carr is still being searched by scenes of crimes officers and is cordoned off from the rest of Soham Village College. Pupils will return to the school on Monday. Ms Carr, 25, is charged with perverting the course of justice.