POLICE conducting a hunt for clues into the disappearance of hospital worker Melanie Hall in 1996 have widened their painstaking search.

Officers are still sifting through mounds of earth in a field at Inglesbatch, near Bath, a week after two men were arrested in connection with her disappearance.

On Wednesday they began looking for evidence within Beaufort Farm itself.

Melanie, of Bradford Leigh, disappeared in June 1996, after a night out with friends at Cadillacs nightclub in Bath. She was 25.

The men, both in their 30s and from the Bath area, were released on bail following 46 hours of questioning.

The investigation began again in earnest last week after police received new information, seven years after the Bath University graduate disappeared.

Teams of officers have been sifting through piles of debris at a pig farm in the hamlet of Inglesbatch, five miles south of Bath.

Police centred their search on fields which are usually used by Motocross riders at weekends. A notice on the gate warned riders to stay away for two weeks while police conduct their investigation.

Detective Inspector Ian Glover said: "We have searched the premises where the men were arrested and have looked at three separate locations.

"The searches are in relation to new evidence which has come to light in the Melanie Hall case.

"Specialist officers are sieving through soil trying to find anything that may be significant to the case."

The Beaufort farmhouse was being used as a base for police while they conduct their searches, but police stressed no one who currently lives at the farm has been involved in the investigation.

Melanie's parents, Steve and Pat Hall, are being kept informed of developments in the case.

Det Insp Glover said: "Over the years Melanie's parents have had their hopes raised on many occasions and we do not want to get their hopes up too much during this investigation just to have them dashed again."

June Gladwin, who had two teenage daughters and lived opposite Melanie at the time she disappeared, said: "I hope this proves to be the answer her family needs.

"Lots of women were frightened by what happened to Melanie, and it will never be forgotten."

Andrew Smith, 37, of Bradford on Avon, was in Cadillacs nightclub the night Melanie disappeared and was one of the 800 clubbers interviewed at the time.

Mr Smith said: "I was interviewed three times by the police in the five weeks after she disappeared and I have to admit it was not a nice feeling.

"But the police have to try everything to find out what happened."

Police expect the searches at Inglesbatch to continue for at least another week.

FACT FILE: No stone left unturned

950 questionnaires were filled out by people at Cadillacs nightclub after Melanie disappeared.

1,200 taxi drivers in the Bath and west Wiltshire area were interviewed.

More than 800 clubgoers from the area were interviewed at least once.

Hours of CCTV footage from 16 cameras were examined.

In November 1996 a BBC reconstruction of Melanie's night out in Cadillacs prompted more than 100 calls from the public.

Her parents, Steve and Pat Hall, handed out hundreds of leaflets in Cadillacs on the first anniversary of her disappearance in a bid to jog memories.

On the second anniversary in 1998 her parents put up a £10,000 reward for new information.

March 2003, two local men are arrested in connection with her disappearance.

40 officers are back working full time on the case.

Anyone who can remember anything that may help police are asked to come forward.

Contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or the incident room on 0117 945 4 008.