A third person arrested on suspicion of the murder of a council worker who was shot in Liverpool has been bailed, police said.

The 27-year-old man, from Dovecot, was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Ashley Dale, 28, who was found with gunshot wounds in the back garden of her home in Leinster Road, Old Swan, at about 12.40am on August 21.

He was also held on suspicion of possession of a firearm.

On Thursday, a Merseyside Police spokesman said the man had been conditionally bailed pending further inquiries.

A 25-year-old man from Liverpool arrested on suspicion of Ms Dale’s murder and a 21-year-old woman, also from Liverpool, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender were bailed earlier this week.

Ms Dale, an environment health officer for Knowsley Council, is not believed to have been the intended target of the attack.

Her death was one of three fatal shootings within a week in Liverpool, including the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was shot in her home in Dovecot on August 22 when a gunman chased another man into the property.

A 36-year-old man from Huyton and a 33-year-old from Dovecot were arrested on suspicion of murder and two counts of attempted murder in relation to Olivia’s death last week and later released on bail.

Sam Rimmer, 22, died after he was shot in Dingle on August 16.

Four males have been arrested and bailed in relation to his murder.

Police are continuing to appeal for the public to come forward with information on the three killings.