Sian Blake: Partner Arthur Simpson-Kent 'held in Ghana on suspicion of murder'

The hairdresser was arrested in the southern town of Takoradi after being found carrying 'a knife and a spoon'

Arthur Simpson-Kent with his son Amon (PA)

The partner of an ex-Eastenders actress and her two sons who were found dead in shallow graves in London has been arrested in Ghana, according to reports.

Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, is being held in connection with the death his partner Sian Blake and their two children, Zachary and Amon, whose bodies were discovered in their back garden.

According to the Sun, detectives from the London Metropolitan Police travelled to the West Africa country - where he was born - to pick him up after Interpol put out an international alert for his arrest on Thursday night.

The hairdresser was tracked to the town of Takoradi in the south of the country with officers reportedly finding him carrying a "knife and a spoon".

He is expected to stay in the custody of Interpol in the capital Accra tonight before being handed over to Scotland Yard tomorrow, the Mirror reports.

He could be on a flight back to the UK either as early as tomorrow or on Monday.

Sian Blake was last seen on 13 December (PA)

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the force had been "made aware of an arrest in Ghana".

Ms Blake and her two sons - aged eight and four - were found dead at their home in Erith on Tuesday three weeks after they were reported missing on 16 December.

Simpson-Kent is believed to have travelled to Ghana the same day after police visited him at their home.

According to police, all three had died from head and neck injuries and there had been "significant attempts" to conceal the bodies.

The former actress played Frankie Pierce in the BBC soap opera between 1996 and 1997. She also appeared in The Bill, Casualty, Doctors and Skins.