DETECTIVES have been forced to rethink after eagerly awaited tests failed to reveal the identity of a baby girl found entombed in a concrete block.

Anne Chadwick, of Sandles Road, The Ridings, Droitwich, believes the four-month-old tot may have been her secret sister, born to her mother Sheila who had an affair with her married next-door neighbour Joe Thwaites.

But tests on a stored tissue sample taken from Sheila Thwaites - who married her lover when his wife died - have proved inconclusive and as both are now dead, no more DNA tests can be carried out.

Mrs Chadwick and her husband Phillip were arrested in January on suspicion of murdering the baby found in a concrete block yards from their former home in the tiny village of Barepot, Cumbria, in September 2002, by a man clearing out his garage.

Arrests

The arrests came after the couple, who have three children, provided DNA samples to police together with other former villagers, in a bid to help detectives trace the baby's parents.

Detectives initially believed Mrs Chadwick was Lara's mother after her DNA showed a link with the child, whom detectives called Lara.

The couple were cleared of any involvement in the case after further tests proved that she was not the mother - but a close relative, possibly a sister.

Forensic experts have been carrying out a range of tests including examining the tissue sample from Mrs Thwaites with a view to establishing exactly who Lara's parents are.

However, despite a series of tests, experts are unable to prove who the tot's parents are.

"We can confirm that we have received the results back," said a spokesman for Cumbria Police, which is leading the inquiry.

"However, these do not take us substantially further forward in putting a name to Lara.

"Our work will now involve assessing all the evidence which could potentially identify Lara, with a view to putting the matter before HM Coroner."