'Ex-Soap Star's Body' Found: Brother Arrested

The brother of former EastEnders star Gemma McCluskie has been arrested after a headless torso believed to be that of the missing actress was dragged from a canal in east London, Sky News understands.

Miss McCluskie's brother Tony was arrested at around 4.15am in Bethnal Green, east London, where he lives and where his sister was living until she disappeared last week, sources say.

Police have not yet confirmed the identity of the 35-year-old suspect, who remains in custody at an east London police station.

The woman's limbless body was discovered near to the Broadway Market stretch of Regent's Canal in Hackney at 2.40pm yesterday.

"Police were initially contacted by a member of the public who had noticed something suspicious floating in the water," the Met Police said in a statement.

"The torso was recovered by divers from the Met's Marine Support Unit and additional searches are due to be carried out in the water."

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The body was found floating with no head, arms or legs. The limbs have not been found."

Relatives and co-stars of 29-year-old Miss McCluskie were said by sources to be "fearing the worst", as Scotland Yard carried out forensic tests on the remains.

Miss McCluskie starred in the soap as Kerry Skinner on more than 30 occasions in 2001.

Her character arrived in Walford as a friend of Zoe Slater and the great niece of the late Ethel Skinner. She briefly dated Robbie Jackson and got him to propose to her.

After Miss McCluskie's disappearance, friends and family members had been carrying out searches in the area and handing out leaflets.

Co-stars Brooke Kinsella and Natalie Cassidy both appealed for help finding her on Twitter.

Kinsella, who has become a prominent anti-knife crime campaigner since her brother Ben was murdered in 2008, had tweeted: "Gemma McCluskie has been MISSING from Bethnal Green since Thursday please get in touch if you have seen her."

Cassidy, who played Sonia in the soap, also posted: "Gemma McCluskie, missing since Thurs, if u have sn her/have any info PLS contact @CarlyKarma ... #FindGemma."

Officers believe they know the identity of the victim but are awaiting further forensic tests before formal identification can take place.

Brunt said: "Although there has been no formal identification of the body, Gemma McCluskie's family have been informed about the discovery of the body and police are working on the theory that it is in fact her body."

He added: "There is a post-mortem going on, and samples from the body will have to be matched against DNA samples from Miss McCluskie and from her home.

"But police hope within the next 24 hours to have a formal identification."

Neighbours of Miss McCluskie have reacted with shock following the discovery.

Margaret O'Carroll, 88, said: "I've seen Gemma grow up around here, this is terrible.

"She lives in that maisonette with her mother and one of her two brothers. She's very nice, a nice girl.

"I didn't know she was missing, then my son told me about a body being found. The whole thing is scary, dreadful."

Another neighbour, who did not give her name, fought back tears as she said: "I'm so shocked, this is not something you hear about every day."

Detective Inspector John Nicholson, who is leading the murder inquiry, has appealed for witnesses.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police incident room on 020 8345 3985 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.