Dame Lowell Goddard has become the third chair to step down as head of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.

The resignation - the reasons for which have not been made clear - is the latest setback for the inquiry, which was set up in 2015 to investigate historical child sex abuse in England and Wales, including of youngsters in care at Lambeth LBC, Rochdale MBC and councils in Nottinghamshire.

Home secretary Amber Rudd said the inquiry would continue ‘without delay'.

‘I want to assure everyone with an interest in the inquiry, particularly victims and survivors, that the work of the inquiry will continue without delay and a new chair will be appointed,' she said.

Lambeth LBC has already spent more than £175,000 on legal costs and fees in relation to the inquiry.

The first chair, Baroness Butler-Sloss, stood down from the position just a week into the role, with her replacement, Dame Fiona Woolf, only staying in the position for two months.