Christian Bale released on bail

Batman star Christian Bale was freed tonight after being held for more than four hours by police investigating claims of assault.

Scotland Yard said the British Hollywood star was released on bail to a date in September pending further inquiries.

The 34-year-old actor was arrested at Belgravia police station, in central London, earlier today after attending by appointment.

Bale was spirited away from the station in a silver Mercedes people carrier at about 4.20pm.

A steadily growing pack of photographers, cameramen and reporters had been waiting outside since his arrival shortly before noon.

Officers are investigating claims that Bale lashed out at his mother and sister in his suite at Park Lane's Dorchester Hotel on Sunday.

His sister Sharon, 40, shouted "it's a family matter" through a window when approached by reporters at her home in Corfe Mullen, near Wimborne, Dorset.

A man who answered the door at the home of his mother Jenny, 61, in Bournemouth, said she did not want to comment.

Bale was arrested hours after he attended the first European screening of the new Batman blockbuster, The Dark Knight.

Accompanied by his wife, Sibi, the actor joined co-stars Sir Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart at the Odeon West End cinema in Leicester Square.

It is understood officers approached Bale's representatives and agreed to speak to the actor about the claims after the high-profile premiere.

The two women went to a Hampshire police station yesterday to make a formal allegation.

The complaint about the actor was then passed to the Metropolitan Police for further investigation.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman confirmed a 34-year-old was arrested in connection with an allegation of assault.

She said: "A man has been bailed to return on a date in September pending further inquiries."

The allegations are not the first controversy to surround the film, which enjoyed record box office sales in its first weekend in the United States.

In January, 28-year-old Heath Ledger, who gave an Oscar-tipped performance as villain The Joker, died from an accidental drugs overdose.

Bale, a keen environmental activist and martial arts enthusiast, also starred in American Psycho, Empire Of The Sun and Batman Begins.

Neither of Bale's agents in the United States could be contacted for comment.