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BBC Breakfast presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt were about to close Saturday's programme before they issued a breaking news announcement. It was announced that Soham child killer Ian Huntley has died. As the pair wrapped up an earlier segment, Naga shared an update with viewers before closing out the show. She began, "We're just going to update you on some news. We have been reporting this morning that the Soham murderer Ian Huntley's life support machine was switched off after he was attacked in prison last week.

"Of course, the former school caretaker killed schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002. He had repeatedly been hit over the head by an inmate with a metal bar."

Charlie commented: "The information we're receiving is that he has died following that attack in prison. So that information has come into us in the last few minutes."

Breakfast presenter Naga shared The Ministry of Justice's spokesperson said: "The murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman remains one of the most shocking and devastating cases in our nation's history and our thoughts are with their families."

Charlie and Naga closed the show just seconds later.

Huntley, 52, suffered significant head trauma after being attacked with a makeshift weapon by another inmate at HMP Frankland on 26 February and had been on life support in hospital.

He had been serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 40 years for murdering best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002.

Huntley's life support was switched off on Friday. The brutality of his crimes made him a target in prison and he had been attacked several times previously.

Durham Constabulary have said they are preparing a file for the Crown Prosecution Service for the consideration of charges.

A spokesperson for the force said "a police investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing".

Holly and Jessica vanished after leaving a family barbecue in their small town near Cambridge in August 2002.

It is believed they were on their way to buy sweets when Huntley, then aged 28, lured them back to his home and killed them.