British police are investigating claims that a private investigator working for the News of the World hacked the phones of a murder victim as well as the phones of numerous victims' families.
The parents of murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman have been contacted by detectives investigating the allegations.
This follows claims that a private investigator working for the newspaper also hacked into the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.
It was revealed today that Ms Dowler's parents were suing the News of the World in relation to the case.
The revelations are the latest in an ongoing police investigation into the newspaper over phone hacking, which until now only appeared to involve celebrities and public figures.
The investigation is also looking at claims that News of the World staff paid police for stories, which is illegal under British law.
In response to the latest allegations a number of companies have said that they are considering their options in relation to advertising in the newspaper.
Car maker Ford has already decided to suspend its News of the World advertisements pending the outcome of the current investigations.
Soham victims’ parents visited by police
As part of the investigation a police source confirmed that relatives of the Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, who were murdered by Ian Huntley in Soham in 2002, were visited by Scotland Yard officers several months ago.
A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said: 'Both families have been contacted by officers from the Metropolitan Police and are assisting with them with their inquiries.'
Allegations of hacking during the Soham inquiry were first aired by Labour MP Tom Watson.
But today's police statement is the first time it has been confirmed that the phone hacking inquiry is looking at the Soham case.
Police are also investigating allegations that private investigator Glenn Mulcaire accessed Milly Dowler's phone messages on behalf of the newspaper after she was abducted in 2002.
Mr Mulcaire is alleged to have also deleted some of the messages in order to make room for new ones, which Ms Dowler’s parents said gave them ‘false hope’ that their daughter could still be alive.
Along with the newspaper’s former royal editor Clive Goodman, Mr Mulcaire was jailed in 2007 after the Old Bailey heard they plotted to hack into royal aides’ telephone messages.
Solicitor Mark Lewis said the 'heinous' and 'despicable' actions in relation to Milly Dowler’s phone could have jeopardised the police investigation into her disappearance.
Mr Lewis, from London-based Taylor Hampton Solicitors, said: 'It is distress heaped upon tragedy to learn that the News of the World had no humanity at such a terrible time.
'The fact that they were prepared to act in such a heinous way that could have jeopardised the police investigation and give them false hope is despicable.'
Mr Lewis said the Dowlers had been told their own phones had also been targeted and added that they were pursuing a claim for damages against the News of the World.
Allegations of ‘great concern’ say newspaper’s publisher
News International, the publisher of the newspaper, said the allegations were of 'great concern' and said it would be conducting its own inquiry.
Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of the News of the World’s publisher News International said today: 'We were all appalled and shocked when we heard about these allegations yesterday.
'I have to tell you that I am sickened that these events are alleged to have happened.'
At the time of Ms Dowler’s disappearance Ms Brooks was the News of the World’s editor. Andy Coulson, who resigned in January as Prime Minister David Cameron's media adviser, was the newspaper’s deputy editor.
Responding to the Dowler family allegations, a News International spokesman said: 'We have been co-operating fully with Operation Weeting since our voluntary disclosure in January restarted the investigation into illegal voicemail interception.
'This particular case is clearly a development of great concern and we will be conducting our own inquiries as a result. We will obviously co-operate fully with any police request on this should we be asked.'
Speaking while on a visit to Afghanistan, British Prime Minister David Cameron described the allegations as ‘appalling’ and said ‘if they are true, this is a truly dreadful act.’
