UK Detectives hunting the killer of Sarah Payne are understood to be about to re-arrest a man they have already quizzed twice.
The 42-year-old man is currently serving a prison sentence for driving offences.
It is believed officers involved in the seven-month-old investigation could visit him in the next few days and it is thought he could face charges connected with the murder.
A West Sussex police spokeswoman would only say: "The Sarah Payne investigation has been making excellent progress over the last few weeks. However, for operational reasons we cannot discuss any likely developments in the next few days."
The spokeswoman added that an appeal to find the owners of a curtain on last week's Crimewatch programme had brought about a "significant development".
The man had been quizzed by detectives twice since Sarah, from Hersham in Surrey, went missing close to her grandparents' home in Kingston Gorse, West Sussex on July 1 last year.
Her partially buried body was found 16 days later just off the A29 near Pulborough. She had been strangled.
The mother of Sarah Payne has said the family was waiting for news from the police over any new developments.
A spokesman for the Payne family said they were aware of the speculation regarding a re-arrest but would not comment further.
Mrs Payne added: "Sussex police have been working day and night on the case and we are awaiting news from them."