A women's hospital which trained children's nurse Lucy Letby - whose house was searched by officers investigating baby deaths at the Countess of Chester - has revealed it is helping police with their enquiries.
The former University of Chester student trained at Liverpool Women's Hospital, it has been confirmed.
Cheshire police announced yesterday a female 'healthcare professional' had been arrested in a probe into the deaths of 17 infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
On the same day, detectives searched the home of nurse Lucy Letby, 28, in Westbourne Road in Chester.
A spokesperson at the Liverpool Women's trust confirmed Ms Letby undertook training at the hospital and said the trust was assisting with police enquiries, the Liverpool Echo reports.
The woman detained by police was also arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of a further six babies.
Detectives said they are also looking at 15 non-fatal collapses at the unit between March 2015 and July 2016.
The arrest comes as part of a long-running investigation following a high number of baby deaths at the hospital.
Countess of Chester baby deaths probe
A spokesperson for Liverpool Women's Hospital Trust said: "We are co-operating with police as part of their investigation which includes a routine review of patients cared for on our neonatal unit during the time of these placements.
"There is currently no suggestion that any patients at Liverpool Women's came to any harm in relation to this investigation."
Detective Inspector Paul Hughes, in charge of the investigation for Cheshire police, said the arrest represented a “significant step forward”.
Police are said to have arrived at Ms Letby's home at around 6am, while officers were also seen at her parents' property in Hereford later on Tuesday.
A neighbour of the nurse in Blacon, Chester, said: “I saw lots of police cars arrive, a few cars then a big police van, and gradually more and more came and they put up the tent.”
According to locals, officers moved a small, silver Suzuki car from the driveway of the address to erect the tent.
The car has an NHS parking permit in the window.
Ms Letby was a student nurse during three years of training before qualifying as a children's nurse at the University of Chester in 2011.
Police have not released the identity of the arrested health worker and did not say if she is a nurse, doctor or other health professional.
Detectives launched an investigation into infant deaths at the hospital in May last year, initially looking at the deaths of 15 babies between June 2015 and June 2016.
On Tuesday police said the probe had widened to include a total of 17 deaths and 15 non-fatal collapses of babies between March 2015 and July 2016.
The hospital appeared as busy as ever on Tuesday with dozens of patients, staff and visitors coming and going from the vast site in Chester.
However security guards were on patrol and stationed near hospital entrances as a growing media pack arrived close to the main entrance.
Hospital officials said they will not be making any further statements.
