TWO men arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of assisting an offender as part of the hunt for gunman Raoul Moat have been bailed by police, pending further inquiries.

Northumbria Police made the announcement shortly after 12.30am today.

The search for Moat is continuing through the night, with activity still centred on the Northumberland town of Rothbury and the surrounding area.

These include searches by armed response officers, dog sections and other specialist search teams.

Police have also received help from other forces, advice from the military, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the National Search Centre.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Jim Campbell said: "The search for Moat continues at pace throughout the night and we are committed to finding him.

"Theres a lot of activity taking place in the area around Rothbury, however, we have activity taking place across the force area.

"Id like to reiterate information released earlier today about Moat making threats to the wider public. This is not specific to the community of Rothbury.

"I hope the public meeting held earlier today in the village served to reassure the public that we are doing all we can to trace Moat and to address any concerns that they might have."