POLICE have drafted in a specialist crime team after forensic teams failed to establish the cause of the Cutty Sark fire.

The Met's Specialist Crime Directorate (SCD) will assist with the investigation into the fire on the 138-year-old clipper ship, which occurred on May 21.

An initial examination of the ship was carried out by the Met, the London Fire Brigade and the Forensic Science Service, as well as a specialist forensic company employed by the Cutty Sark Trust's insurers.

Yesterday, the SCD, which works on London's most high profile and serious cases, joined the effort.

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Garwood, who is leading the team, said: "Because of the complexity of the investigation, SCD officers are assisting our colleagues in Greenwich as they must also continue the day to day policing in the borough.

"We have a number of lines of enquiry to pursue at this stage.

"We are concentrating on preserving those elements of the investigation that are time critical - any potential witnesses we can find from local enquiries, and viewing a large amount of CCTV footage, over 100 hours worth, collected from the area, publicly and privately owned.

"Naturally, we will also talk to anyone who worked for the contractors on the ship over the last few months, about 70 people in all.

"Whilst at this stage the results of the forensic examination were inconclusive, we will be considering any further technical or scientific methods we might pursue to establish the cause of the fire.

"I would like to take this opportunity to ask anyone who was in the area that day or has any item of information, however small, to make contact with police."

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