Police have arrested Stuart Hazell on suspicion of murder after a body was found in the search for missing schoolgirl Tia Sharp.
Earlier tonight a manhunt was launched after police hunting for Tia found a body at the house where she was last seen in New Addington, south London.
The body, which has not yet been identified, was found at the home Hazell shared with Tia's grandmother Christine Sharp at 4.40pm.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said Hazell, 37, was arrested in a public place at 8.25pm in the south London borough of Merton after he was identified by a member of the public.
"He is currently in custody at a south London police station," he added.
Authorities had warned the public not to approach Hazell.
A murder investigation was launched after the body was found.
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "The likelihood is that it must be Tia's body."
Hazell, who spent the night before Tia went missing alone with the girl, is believed to have been the last person to see her.
He was interviewed as a key witness earlier this week but then released.
The announcement that a body had been found came just a few hours after police began a forensic search of the terraced house.
Ms Sharp, who left her home with police shortly before the forensic search began, told reporters earlier that her boyfriend was out helping in the hunt for Tia.
Earlier, Police Commander Neil Basu defended the investigation so far, saying Ms Sharp's residence was searched three times before today’s discovery.
"A number of searches took place at the address. When Tia was first reported missing, officers searched her bedroom as is normal practice in a missing person’s enquiry," he said.
"A further search of the house took place in the early hours of Sunday morning by a specialist team.
"This was then followed by another search of the house by specialist dogs on Wednesday lunchtime.
"What we now need to establish is how long the body had been in the place where it was found.
"This will be subject of the ongoing investigation and it would be wrong to jump to any conclusions until all the facts have been established."
