DETECTIVES are just weeks away from identifying the baby girl whose remains were found entombed in concrete.

Anne and Phillip Chadwick, of Sandles Road, The Ridings, Droitwich, were arrested and released without charge by police investigating the death of the six-month-old tot found in a block of concrete in the tiny village of Barepot, Cumbria, in September 2002.

Mr and Mrs Chadwick lived just yards from where the grim discovery was made by a man clearing out his garage.

The baby - dubbed Lara by police - had led a "distressing" life and had been badly neglected, say detectives, who have never ruled out the possibility she was murdered.

Mr and Mrs Chadwick were arrested in January after supplying DNA samples, along with dozens of other former Barepot residents, to police trying to trace Lara's parents.

However, in a national newspaper article earlier this month, mother-of-three, Mrs Chadwick, revealed Lara could have been her secret sister after police told her she was a close relative.

Secret affair

Mrs Chadwick, aged 41, who has a younger sister Yvonne, aged 28, said their mother, Sheila Parker, had a secret 15-year affair with her married next-door neighbour, Joe Thwaites.

It was only when his wife died in 1977 and he married their mother that the women discovered he was their father.

She believes the baby could have been the secret daughter of her parents, who are now both dead.

"What I believe for certain is that neither my mother nor my father would have harmed a child in that way," said Mrs Chadwick.

"Maybe she gave away the baby to someone to look after who then neglected or murdered her."

Detectives are expecting to solve the riddle of how Lara ended up in her silent tomb in May when DNA tests reveal the identity of her parents.

Det Insp Paul Smith, of Cumbria Police, which is leading the investigation, said: "Police are awaiting further DNA test results that will be due in approximately seven weeks and are aimed at identifying the parents of baby Lara."