The serving policeman arrested over the disappearance of Sarah Everard is an armed officer based in Westminster, according to reports.

Wayne Couzens, 48, was arrested at his home in Deal, Kent, last night along with a woman, believed to be his wife, on suspicion of assisting an offender, The Sun reports.

He is thought to have been a late entrant to the Met, have formerly worked at a family garage repairs business.

Ms Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive, went missing after leaving a friend's house in Clapham at about 9pm on March 3.

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Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: "The arrest this evening is a serious and significant development.

“We will continue to work with all speed on this investigation but the fact that the arrested man is a serving Metropolitan Police officer is both shocking and deeply disturbing.

"I understand there will be significant public concern but it is essential that the investigative team are given the time and space to continue their work."

- READ MORE: Police searching Kent home and woodland over Sarah Everard disappearance

Police searches are being carried out in two locations in Kent – land near Ashford and at the property in Deal.

A tent was erected outside a house in Freemens Way, and a car was seen being taken away from the property.

A neighbour in the road said a police officer lives at the address with his “chatty” wife and two children.

She said: “They just seemed like a normal, regular family, there was nothing strange about them at all.”

She added police were digging up the garden.

Ms Everard is thought to have walked through Clapham Common towards her house in Brixton – a journey which should have taken around 50 minutes.

She was last captured on a doorbell camera walking along the A205 Poynders Road towards Tulse Hill at around 9.30pm on March 3.

On Tuesday evening, police put up a cordon outside a block of flats near where the footage was recorded.

The search was focused on the Poynders Court housing complex, and forensics officers could be seen examining the area.

Sniffer dogs were also used to search the nearby Oaklands Estate and gardens in surrounding streets, while other officers were lifting covers and searching drains along the A205.

The Met said it had received more than 120 calls from the public and had visited 750 homes in the area as part of the investigation.