An officer from the team investigating the murder of BBC TV presenter Jill Dando has been suspended over alleged leaks to the media.

Scotland Yard said the officer was suspended "as part of an internal inquiry into the release of unauthorised information".

A spokeswoman said: "The release of unauthorised information can have a damaging effect on the progress of an investigation and can put the safety of the witnesses, suspects and officers at risk."

She declined to discuss the personal details or rank of the officer.

The Times newspaper reported on Saturday that the man was a detective constable, and that he had been suspended by officers from the complaints investigation bureau.

Leaks have included details of police surveillance of one man, and interest in another man who lived close to Dando, it said.

The 45-strong unit has been working on the murder inquiry since Dando was shot in the doorway of her west London home on 26 April last year.

So far officers have failed to pinpoint a motive or a suspect in the high-profile case, although recent theories suggest Dando was the victim of a stalker.

Detectives recently flew to Los Angeles to enlist the help of Rhonda Saunders, an expert on celebrity stalking whom they hope will help them build up a profile of Dando's killer.

The US inquiries came as Australian police interviewed a man reported to have been an obsessive fan of the presenter.

The 29-year-old man left the UK within days of her murder, it was reported locally.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We have been in touch with New South Wales Police and inquiries have been made. We have no plans at present for detectives to visit Australia."