THE nurse arrested on suspicion of murder after the deaths of three patients at Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, was today named by sources as Rebecca Leighton.

The 26-year-old woman is currently in custody and being questioned by detectives investigating contamination of saline solution at the hospital.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “This morning, a 26-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder. he remains in police custody for questioning. Inquiries are continuing.”

The arrest comes as a fourth patient, a man in his 40s, was critically ill at the hospital in Stockport.

Police said yesterday they feared the suspect who sabotaged saline containers with insulin may still be stalking the corridors of the hospital.

The critically-ill patient is part of a complex investigation with 60 detectives questioning more than 50 staff at the hospital, with wards A1 and A3 the centre of the investigation.

Police said yesterday they were working on the assumption that the contamination had taken place within the hospital.

But officers said they could not rule out the person responsible may have been a visitor to the site.

The unexplained deaths of Tracey Arden, 44, George Keep, 84, and Arnold Lancaster, 71, are being linked to the contamination of the saline solution.

They are among a total of 14 patients whose treatment since July 7 was being examined by police.