4 journalists have been arrested in the UK in connection with a suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails at Mirror Group Newspapers.

Scotland Yard says 3 men and a woman were arrested at separate addresses in south London at 6am this morning. They are all aged in their 40's.

They are being interviewed at various police stations in London and searches are continuing at a number of addresses.

A statement released by the Metropolitan Police Service said "Detectives on Operation Weeting have identified and are investigating a suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails at Mirror Group Newspapers. This conspiracy is being treated as a separate conspiracy to the two being investigated at the now defunct News of the World newspaper".

"It is believed it mainly concerned the Sunday Mirror newspaper and at this stage the primary focus is on the years 2003 and 2004" it added.