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| Missing girl Shannon found alive | Missing girl Shannon found alive |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Missing nine-year-old schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been found alive, three weeks after she disappeared. | Missing nine-year-old schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been found alive, three weeks after she disappeared. |
| West Yorkshire Police confirmed she was found hidden in the base of a divan bed in a house in Lidgate Gardens in Batley Carr, about a mile from her home. | |
| Neighbours said police smashed their way in and emerged carrying Shannon who was last seen leaving Westmoor Junior School in Dewsbury on 19 February. | Neighbours said police smashed their way in and emerged carrying Shannon who was last seen leaving Westmoor Junior School in Dewsbury on 19 February. |
| A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of abduction. | A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of abduction. |
| 'Very happy' | |
| The young girl looked "quite calm" and officers confirmed that she was OK, the neighbours added. | The young girl looked "quite calm" and officers confirmed that she was OK, the neighbours added. |
| Shannon's father Leon Rose said he was "over the moon". | |
| During a search of the house, officers located Shannon Matthews who was found concealed in the base of a divan bed West Yorkshire Police | During a search of the house, officers located Shannon Matthews who was found concealed in the base of a divan bed West Yorkshire Police |
| "They just told me she was alive and she was well, and that's all I know at the moment, but that's good enough for the moment for me because I'm just over the moon at the minute," he said. | |
| "Believe it or not, where she's been found, I'd actually been in that area a number of times and probably just walked straight past the house that she was in." | |
| A West Yorkshire Police statement said: "As part of ongoing investigations, detectives and specialist search officers attended a house at Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, Dewsbury, at 1230 GMT this afternoon. | A West Yorkshire Police statement said: "As part of ongoing investigations, detectives and specialist search officers attended a house at Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, Dewsbury, at 1230 GMT this afternoon. |
| Map of where Shannon was found | Map of where Shannon was found |
| "During a search of the house, officers located Shannon Matthews who was found concealed in the base of a divan bed. | |
| "A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of abduction at the address and is currently in custody at a West Yorkshire police station. | |
| Shannon was found in the base of a bed in the property | |
| "Shannon is currently in the care of West Yorkshire Police. Investigations are ongoing." | "Shannon is currently in the care of West Yorkshire Police. Investigations are ongoing." |
| Shannon's aunt Amanda Hyett said the schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews left the family home with police shortly before 1400 GMT. She has not yet been reunited with her daughter. | Shannon's aunt Amanda Hyett said the schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews left the family home with police shortly before 1400 GMT. She has not yet been reunited with her daughter. |
| Charlotte Thornton, a friend of Amanda Hyett, said: "I've just got a text message from Amanda. She's saying they've found her alive. | Charlotte Thornton, a friend of Amanda Hyett, said: "I've just got a text message from Amanda. She's saying they've found her alive. |
| "I was one of the ones who went out and looked for her on the first night. I'm very happy they've found her." | "I was one of the ones who went out and looked for her on the first night. I'm very happy they've found her." |
| Neighbour Christopher Heaps witnessed Shannon being brought out of the house by police. | Neighbour Christopher Heaps witnessed Shannon being brought out of the house by police. |
| He said: "First thing I heard was police breaking the door down and I went out to see what was going off because of the noise and then when I went out I saw the policemen carrying the young girl in their arms. | He said: "First thing I heard was police breaking the door down and I went out to see what was going off because of the noise and then when I went out I saw the policemen carrying the young girl in their arms. |
| She was very calm and didn't look upset Christopher Heaps, neighbour | She was very calm and didn't look upset Christopher Heaps, neighbour |
| "I was stood by him and I said 'is that Shannon?' He said 'yes'. | |
| "I saw the man being taken away and dragged down the steps and handcuffed and put into the van. | "I saw the man being taken away and dragged down the steps and handcuffed and put into the van. |
| "Then the little girl was put into a car and taken away with a plain clothes policeman. She was very calm and didn't look upset." | "Then the little girl was put into a car and taken away with a plain clothes policeman. She was very calm and didn't look upset." |
| Children returning from school to houses in Shannon's road were crying and hugging each other after hearing she had been found. | Children returning from school to houses in Shannon's road were crying and hugging each other after hearing she had been found. |
| Party on estate | |
| Callie Brown, aged eight, who is in Shannon's class, said: "We all had to go into the hall for assembly. I was crying my eyes out. I have missed her loads." | Callie Brown, aged eight, who is in Shannon's class, said: "We all had to go into the hall for assembly. I was crying my eyes out. I have missed her loads." |
| Mayor of Kirklees Jean Calvert said she was "delighted" Shannon had been found. | |
| "It's an immense relief for the family, relatives and friends of Shannon and those who've supported the efforts to find her and have shown so much concern over what's been a very traumatic few weeks for them and the local community," she said. | |
| Police smashed their way into the property | |
| About 100 local residents have been holding a celebratory party on the estate. | About 100 local residents have been holding a celebratory party on the estate. |
| Earlier this week mother-of-seven Mrs Matthews, 32, said she believed Shannon had been abducted. | Earlier this week mother-of-seven Mrs Matthews, 32, said she believed Shannon had been abducted. |
| More than 200 officers and 60 detectives have been involved in the search, which police said amounted to 10% of West Yorkshire Police's operational strength. | More than 200 officers and 60 detectives have been involved in the search, which police said amounted to 10% of West Yorkshire Police's operational strength. |
| The force said the operation was the biggest missing person's case it had undertaken since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. | The force said the operation was the biggest missing person's case it had undertaken since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. |
| Officers have searched nearly 3,000 residential and commercial premises in the hunt for the schoolgirl. | Officers have searched nearly 3,000 residential and commercial premises in the hunt for the schoolgirl. |
| The police hunt for Shannon had always focused on the local community. | |
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