The BBC's Kevin Bocquet on Dr Shipman

Magistrates in Tameside, Greater Manchester, remanded Dr Harold Shipman in custody until 7 December - when he is due to be charged with the murder of three more women.

He has been committed for crown court trial on 7 January in connection with the alleged murder of yet another patient.

Police dug up the body of a ninth patient, believed to be that of a 58-year-old woman, early on Thursday as part of their ongoing investigations.

Died in GP surgery

Dr Harold Shipman only spoke three times during the five-minute hearing before magistrates - to confirm his name, address and the name of his sollicitor.

He was charged with killing Mrs Ivy Lomas, 63, and Mrs Marie Quinn, 67, whose bodies were exhumed in October.

Mrs Quinn died on 24 November, 1997 and Mrs Lomas on 29 May, 1998.

The death of Mrs Quinn, a retired food process worker, from Hyde, was certified as a stroke at her home by Dr Shipman.

Ivy Lomas died in Dr Shipman's surgery

Mrs Lomas, also from Hyde, died in Dr Shipman's surgery. Death was certified as due to coronary thrombosis and ischaemic heart disease linked to smoking.

On Tuesday Dr Shipman was sent for crown court trial charged with the murder of 81-year-old widow Kathleen Grundy, a former mayoress of the town, and the forging of her will.

As well as Mrs Grundy's murder, the doctor was already accused of killing patients Winifred Mellor and Joan Melia, both 73, and 49-year-old Bianka Pomfret.

He will appear in magistrates court in connection with these cases in December.

Exhumations

The exhumation of the ninth body was the third from Hyde cemetery in three days.

On Wednesday, the body of Alice Kitchen was exhumed.

The body of patient Irene Turner, 67, was removed from the cemetery early on Tuesday.

Forensic experts are analysing the results of post mortems on Mrs Turner and Mrs Kitchen.

Police have also been seeking to exhume the body of a woman buried in Malta, but have not been given permission.