A MAN celebrating a friend's birthday was mistaken for a suspected killer and detained by police.

Door staff at a Swanage nightclub told the police they had seen the man wanted for the killings of a 49-year-old disabled woman and her carer in Southampton.

Builder Sid McCall's appearance fitted the description released by police, who picked him up as he made his way back to the hotel, where he was staying with friends in Corfe Castle, in the early hours of last Saturday morning.

After a brief interview in Swanage police station, the 55-year-old party-goer was released.

Just hours later David Tiley, 47, was arrested near the Mowlem Theatre on the town's seafront and taken to Hampshire for questioning.

"The police were very nice about the whole thing," Mr McCall, a former Hell's Angel from Leicestershire, said.

"It's not every day you get mistaken for a killer, but we all had a laugh about it the next day."

Mr McCall was given a lift back to his hotel at around 5.30am, where he joined the rest of the revellers celebrating the 50th birthday of Rob Lamont, landlord of the Kings Arms in Stoborough.

Sergeant Jon Bleasdale of Swanage Police said: "Several men will have had their identities checked by officers in the search for the suspect.

"The job of the police is always made easier when the public understand and co-operate with officers in such circumstances."

A man has been charged in connection with the deaths.