White widow Samantha Lewthwaite '˜wasn't' spotted in Darlington hotel, police confirm

Police investigating whether one of the world's most wanted terrorists, Samantha Lewthwaite, was at a hotel owned by Duncan Bannatyne on Boxing Day have said they are satisfied it was not her.

Durham Police looked into a reported sighting of the so-called White Widow - who grew up in Banbridge, Co Down - at the Dragons’ Den star’s hotel in Darlington.

A force spokeswoman said: “Following the reported sighting on 26th December 2015 at Darlington of Samantha Lewthwaite, inquiries have been conducted and police are satisfied that the person reported is not Samantha Lewthwaite.”

Lewthwaite, who was once married to July 7 bomber Germaine Lindsay, is on a list of high-profile targets being hunted by Interpol after she was linked to a series of attacks in Africa.

She is thought to have fled Britain for Africa before joining militant group al-Shabaab following the 2005 attacks in London.

Dubbed the world’s most wanted woman, she is said to have been involved in a series of atrocities including the 2013 attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi and the Garissa University College massacre in April last year. More than 200 were killed in the attacks.