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| Megan Stammers to fly home to UK | Megan Stammers to fly home to UK |
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| Megan Stammers is expected to fly home to the UK from France on Saturday, more than a week after she went missing with her 30-year-old maths teacher. | Megan Stammers is expected to fly home to the UK from France on Saturday, more than a week after she went missing with her 30-year-old maths teacher. |
| The 15-year-old is due to travel back to her hometown of Eastbourne, in East Sussex, after she was found in Bordeaux, France, on Thursday, Sussex Police said. | |
| Officers plan to speak with the teenager once she has met with mother Danielle Wilson and stepfather Martin Stammers, a force spokesman said. | |
| "Megan is likely to return today to be reunited with her family and to speak with police," he added. | |
| Megan's parents have already been in contact with their daughter by telephone but have remained in the UK as they await her return. | |
| Jeremy Forrest, Megan's teacher at Bishop Bell CofE school in Eastbourne, was arrested on Friday on suspicion of child abduction in Bordeaux after the pair went missing a week earlier. He was held in French custody where he is expected to remain over the weekend until a formal hearing on Tuesday intended to authorise his extradition to the UK. | Jeremy Forrest, Megan's teacher at Bishop Bell CofE school in Eastbourne, was arrested on Friday on suspicion of child abduction in Bordeaux after the pair went missing a week earlier. He was held in French custody where he is expected to remain over the weekend until a formal hearing on Tuesday intended to authorise his extradition to the UK. |
| The pair were stopped by French police at 12.15pm on Friday on Rue Sainte-Catherine, the main high street in the centre of Bordeaux. They were walking hand in hand, one police source was reported as saying. The prosecutor's office said they had been found thanks to "an interesting and credible witness" who contacted them 48 hours earlier. The witness was "not anyone close to the couple", it said. | The pair were stopped by French police at 12.15pm on Friday on Rue Sainte-Catherine, the main high street in the centre of Bordeaux. They were walking hand in hand, one police source was reported as saying. The prosecutor's office said they had been found thanks to "an interesting and credible witness" who contacted them 48 hours earlier. The witness was "not anyone close to the couple", it said. |
| The schoolgirl and the teacher fled their separate homes in East Sussex on Thursday last week on a Dover to Calais ferry shortly after it appeared the police may have become aware of their potentially illegal relationship. | The schoolgirl and the teacher fled their separate homes in East Sussex on Thursday last week on a Dover to Calais ferry shortly after it appeared the police may have become aware of their potentially illegal relationship. |
| Their disappearance had triggered the issue of a European arrest warrant for Forrest on suspicion of child abduction. Members of both families made emotional televised appeals urging them to get in touch and return home. Forrest's black Ford Fiesta was reportedly found 350 miles away in Paris. | Their disappearance had triggered the issue of a European arrest warrant for Forrest on suspicion of child abduction. Members of both families made emotional televised appeals urging them to get in touch and return home. Forrest's black Ford Fiesta was reportedly found 350 miles away in Paris. |
| Chief Inspector Jason Tingley of Sussex police said there had been four possible sightings of the pair in France – two in south-west France. On Thursday, there was a third in Bordeaux by a member of the public who recognised Forrest from TV coverage. Tingley said the sighting was confirmed and the pair were picked up in an operation led by French police with assistance from the UK's Serious and Organised Crime Agency and Sussex police. | Chief Inspector Jason Tingley of Sussex police said there had been four possible sightings of the pair in France – two in south-west France. On Thursday, there was a third in Bordeaux by a member of the public who recognised Forrest from TV coverage. Tingley said the sighting was confirmed and the pair were picked up in an operation led by French police with assistance from the UK's Serious and Organised Crime Agency and Sussex police. |
| On his return, Forrest, a keen amateur musician from Ringmer, near Lewes, is likely to face questioning about the nature of his relationship with Megan, who is below the age of consent in the UK. Megan is not thought to have committed any offence. | On his return, Forrest, a keen amateur musician from Ringmer, near Lewes, is likely to face questioning about the nature of his relationship with Megan, who is below the age of consent in the UK. Megan is not thought to have committed any offence. |
| The teenager's family expressed their joy that she had been found. Megan's stepfather, Martin Stammers, told reporters at a press conference: "We just can't wait to be reunited with her. Our family are overjoyed at the outcome. As you can imagine it's been an absolute emotional rollercoaster." | The teenager's family expressed their joy that she had been found. Megan's stepfather, Martin Stammers, told reporters at a press conference: "We just can't wait to be reunited with her. Our family are overjoyed at the outcome. As you can imagine it's been an absolute emotional rollercoaster." |
| Megan's natural father, Barry Wratten, 41, said the discovery of his daughter was "the news he had been hoping and praying for". | Megan's natural father, Barry Wratten, 41, said the discovery of his daughter was "the news he had been hoping and praying for". |
| He said: "The past week has been absolutely terrible. You don't want to say it, but sometimes you think the worst … I am not angry with her at all – we all do silly things when we are young without thinking about the consequences." | He said: "The past week has been absolutely terrible. You don't want to say it, but sometimes you think the worst … I am not angry with her at all – we all do silly things when we are young without thinking about the consequences." |
| It is understood that the teenager has already spoken to her family. | It is understood that the teenager has already spoken to her family. |
| Forrest's parents, Jim and Julie Forrest, said in a statement: "We are pleased that Megan and Jeremy have been found safe and well. This has been an ordeal for all the families concerned. | Forrest's parents, Jim and Julie Forrest, said in a statement: "We are pleased that Megan and Jeremy have been found safe and well. This has been an ordeal for all the families concerned. |
| "We would like to thank Sussex and the French police as well as the British media for their assistance. | "We would like to thank Sussex and the French police as well as the British media for their assistance. |
| "We are relieved that the search is finally over and everyone can now focus on a safe and secure return for them both." | "We are relieved that the search is finally over and everyone can now focus on a safe and secure return for them both." |
| Terry Boatwright, headteacher of Bishop Bell, said everyone was "delighted" that she had been found. | Terry Boatwright, headteacher of Bishop Bell, said everyone was "delighted" that she had been found. |
| He said: "Throughout the last week, finding Megan has been everyone's priority and a major focus of our thoughts and prayers in school. Clearly, much needs to be done now to support Megan and her family as they seek to return to some sort of normality and we will do all we can to play our part in that." | He said: "Throughout the last week, finding Megan has been everyone's priority and a major focus of our thoughts and prayers in school. Clearly, much needs to be done now to support Megan and her family as they seek to return to some sort of normality and we will do all we can to play our part in that." |
| School authorities are likely to face questions about their handling of the situation after it emerged that the school and county council had been investigating concerns about the relationship, and Megan's family were not told. Pupils said this week they had seen the pair holding hands on a flight from Los Angeles following a school trip in February. | School authorities are likely to face questions about their handling of the situation after it emerged that the school and county council had been investigating concerns about the relationship, and Megan's family were not told. Pupils said this week they had seen the pair holding hands on a flight from Los Angeles following a school trip in February. |
| East Sussex council said it was investigating what had happened. | East Sussex council said it was investigating what had happened. |
| There has been wider concern about child protection measures at Bishop Bell school after the supply teacher Robert Healy was jailed in 2009 for grooming and having sex with two girls at the school. Separately, Canon Gordon Rideout, who chaired the school's governing body until 2010, is due in court charged with 38 child sex offences over 11 years from 1962. | There has been wider concern about child protection measures at Bishop Bell school after the supply teacher Robert Healy was jailed in 2009 for grooming and having sex with two girls at the school. Separately, Canon Gordon Rideout, who chaired the school's governing body until 2010, is due in court charged with 38 child sex offences over 11 years from 1962. |