Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder following the disappearance of a mother and her six-year-old daughter.

Hadeer Jamil Alonazi, in her 20s, from Rusholme, Manchester, was reported missing to police on July 2 and it is thought she had not been seen for some time before that.

It was also reported that the whereabouts of her daughter were unknown, although the child has since been found and is said to be safe and well.

Officers have been gathering evidence at a house in Hall Road, Rusholme, over the past week.

Those inquiries have led detectives to believe that Ms Alonazi may have come to harm and may not be alive.

On Saturday, two men, aged 40 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of her murder and remain in custody for questioning.

Detective Chief Inspector Liz Hopkinson, of Greater Manchester Police, said it was an "unusual investigation".

She said: "In any investigation our priority is always to prevent harm coming to people and to preserve life, which is why we haven't been able to disclose any of these details until now.

"Now we are satisfied that Hadeer's daughter has been located and is safe and well, we are able to confirm details and ask that anyone with information comes forward.

"You will have seen officers over the past week at a house on Hall Road and you may have spoken to them on the street.

"While we are working on the hypothesis that Hadeer is not alive and we currently have two people in custody, I cannot stress the importance of people contacting us with information if they know anything at all.

"This may be something that you've noticed or been told and you may not feel that it is of any particular importance but please pass it on to us and we will assess whether or not it is relevant to our investigation.

"This is a tragic case where a young mother has disappeared, something no child should ever have to go through.

"We are working closely with our partners to ensure that we gather as much information as possible and that we get answers for her daughter."

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 9283 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.