Third person arrested over Christmas Eve shooting of Elle Edwards

Merseyside Police said they have detained a 31-year-old man from Tranmere on the Wirral on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

Police have arrested a third person in connection with the Christmas Eve shooting of Elle Edwards.

Merseyside Police said officers have detained a 31-year-old man from Tranmere on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, following the death of Ms Edwards, 26, at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey Village, Wirral.

He is in custody where he will be questioned.

On Monday, a 30-year-old man from Tranmere was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, while a 19-year-old woman from Rock Ferry was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

Merseyside Police have been given additional time to question them. They both remain in custody.

Detectives have said Ms Edwards was not believed to have been the intended target of the attack.

Yesterday Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Ian Critchley, renewed an appeal for anyone with information.

Mr Critchley said: “We have two people in custody already, they are on warrants of further detention, but I am still appealing for information in relation to anybody who knows who the person was responsible for pulling that trigger in the most indiscriminate, most appalling way, anybody who knows where the weapon is, anybody who has harboured or has any information at all.

“We still want to hear from them.”

Mr Critchley said investigators were working “round the clock” to work out what happened before, during and after the attack.

He said: “We have made great strides forward but I am appealing for further information.”

He said work was ongoing to establish whether the weapon used in the attack, which injured four men, could be connected to any other incidents.

A 28-year-old man from Beechwood in Wirral remains in a critical condition following the shooting, Mr Critchley said.

Asked whether the attack could be linked to an ongoing feud between gangs in Wirral, Mr Critchley said: “We have seen over a number of months some level of escalation here.

Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 22000948723.