A 49-year-old man arrested on suspicion of the murder of missing teenager Gaia Pope has been released under investigation, police said.

The man, named locally as Paul Elsey, was arrested on Thursday afternoon and quizzed about the disappearance of the 19-year-old.

He was the third person to be arrested in connection with the inquiry.

Dorset Police said clothing discovered on Thursday on open land north of Swanage appeared to be Miss Pope's and matched what she was wearing when last seen.

Detective Superintendent Paul Kessell, of the major crime investigation team, said: "The clothing located south of Priests Way appear to be Gaia's and her family have confirmed they match what she was believed to have been wearing the day she went missing.

"Yesterday and today specialist officers and teams, supported by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue, the coastguard, national search advisers and the NPAS helicopter, have been conducting detailed searches and forensic examinations of fields and open areas.

"Wide area searches have also been carried out with the assistance of Dorset Search and Rescue and volunteers in the community.

"Our search area spans over many square miles of grassland, gorse, bracken and undulating difficult terrain and the public can expect to see officers continuing searches there for a number of days and beyond.

"We would like to repeat our thanks to them for their support and understanding as our large scale investigation continues.

"The community will be aware that this rural area surrounding Purbeck is a wide expanse of challenging ground, much of which is exposed to the elements.

"In addition, the cliffs along the coast are dangerous and the seas can be unpredictable. While we are grateful to the public's ongoing help, I would like to advise them not to put themselves in danger and to allow the specially-trained experts to cover this area in a controlled manner.

"Co-ordinated local volunteers who are in liaison with the police search operation are continuing to assist.

"I would like to renew our appeal to anyone who may have seen Gaia in the area of Manor Gardens and south of Priests Way since 3.30pm on Tuesday November 7.

"Finally, and most importantly, our thoughts remain with Gaia's family at this extremely distressing and difficult time.

"Specially-trained officers continue to support and update them and their wellbeing is central to our actions."