CLAIMS that up to 4,000 men in a North-East village are to be DNA tested in the Milly Dowler murder investigation are exaggerated, say police.

Surrey Police investigating the death of 13-year-old Amanda "Milly" Dowler have already carried out swab tests on 46 men in Ryhope, near Sunderland.

It followed the discovery of DNA during a routine burglary investigation at the village church, which proved an exact match for unidentified male DNA discovered on an item of the teenage schoolgirl's clothing recovered from her bedroom.

None of the men tested, including the vicar of St Paul's, the Reverend David Meakin, was a match for the DNA.

A spokeswoman for Surrey Police said officers were planning to widen the search, but it would not take in 4,000 men as reported in some national papers.

"Officers are going to travel up there in the next week or two," she said.

"They will talk to local police and look at whether we have missed anyone connected with the church."

The DNA was found on a cup at the church, after a distraction burglary.

The discovery of the clue came ten months after Milly went missing while walking home from school, in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March last year. Her body was found six months later.

Surrey Police have said they do not believe matching the DNA will lead them to a suspect in the investigation.