Murdered landscape architect 'seen leaving her flat with two other people'

Police confirmed they were talking to the landscape architect's landlord, who reportedly saw her leaving the flat in Clifton, Bristol, with two people.

Chris Jefferies, 65, allegedly saw three people leaving her property shortly after Miss Yeates, 25, arrived home at 9pm on December 17, although yesterday he was unwilling to clarify his statement.

"I made some comment which was very, very, very much vaguer than that," he told reporters.

"Anything that I have said I have said to the police and I'm not prepared to make any comments to the media."

Neighbour Liz Lowman said Mr Jefferies told her the three people were coming out of a communal entrance to the mansion house.

Officers said they were "very pleased" with the response to appeals for help and were following a number of lines of inquiry.

Det Chief Insp Phil Jones said: "One of these concerns apparent reports that several people were seen or heard in or around Joanna's flat on the night of her disappearance."

They also released CCTV footage of Miss Yeates buying cider from the Bargain Booze off-licence on Regent Street, Bristol, on the night that she disappeared.