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| April Jones 'abduction': Police search in Machynlleth | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police are treating the disappearance of a five-year-old girl in Powys as a suspected abduction. | |
| April Jones was playing with friends near her home in Machynlleth but was seen getting into a grey or light coloured van at 19:00 BST on Monday. | |
| Around 200 people helped in a search of streets, farmland and woodland through the night. | Around 200 people helped in a search of streets, farmland and woodland through the night. |
| April was last seen wearing a purple knee-length coat with a fur hood, white school polo top and black trousers. | |
| Dyfed-Powys Police say all the witnesses to her suspected abduction were children. | |
| Det Supt Reg Bevan said getting information from the children would take time. | |
| "It's a long and delicate process taking accounts from these children. That's still ongoing," he said. | |
| "We will be reinterviewing them again this morning." | |
| A hotline number has been released for people to call with information - 0300 2000 333. | |
| Local people gathered at Machynlleth Leisure Centre on Monday evening to help look for the girl, as news of her disappearance spread on social network sites. | Local people gathered at Machynlleth Leisure Centre on Monday evening to help look for the girl, as news of her disappearance spread on social network sites. |
| Posters of April were also circulated and put up around the town. | |
| Dog teams | Dog teams |
| Police also set up road blocks to check vehicles, while the street where April disappeared has been cordoned off. | |
| Det Ch Supt Simon Powell of Dyfed-Powys Police said officers were "becoming increasingly concerned for her safety". | |
| He said the force had launched an "intensive search and criminal investigation" into the abduction. | |
| "April was last seen playing on a bicycle near her home address and was seen getting into what we believe was a light-coloured van which then drove off." | "April was last seen playing on a bicycle near her home address and was seen getting into what we believe was a light-coloured van which then drove off." |
| Insp Kevin Davies said the fire service and police dog teams had been mobilised, and vehicle check-points set up on roads going in and out of the town. | Insp Kevin Davies said the fire service and police dog teams had been mobilised, and vehicle check-points set up on roads going in and out of the town. |
| He said: "There is mention of a grey van, we're looking at that as one of the angles of inquiry. Nothing is being overlooked. It's an angle, it's an inquiry that we're pursuing along with other angles. | He said: "There is mention of a grey van, we're looking at that as one of the angles of inquiry. Nothing is being overlooked. It's an angle, it's an inquiry that we're pursuing along with other angles. |
| "We're searching the area. Everything we can possibly do is being done. | "We're searching the area. Everything we can possibly do is being done. |
| "The family are obviously distressed. We're trying to keep them informed, we've got an officer allocated to them just to keep them informed as to what's happening. Any information, we'll share with them." | "The family are obviously distressed. We're trying to keep them informed, we've got an officer allocated to them just to keep them informed as to what's happening. Any information, we'll share with them." |
| Machynlleth, an historic market town in countryside in the Dyfi Valley, has a population of around 2,100. | Machynlleth, an historic market town in countryside in the Dyfi Valley, has a population of around 2,100. |
| Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had searched an area with a 30-mile radius overnight using quad bikes and off-road vehicles. | Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had searched an area with a 30-mile radius overnight using quad bikes and off-road vehicles. |
| Local people described the family as "very well liked" and said they had helped create a community garden on the town's Bryn-y-Gog estate. | Local people described the family as "very well liked" and said they had helped create a community garden on the town's Bryn-y-Gog estate. |
| Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to junior school with April, described her as a "lovely little girl". He said: "Everybody just wants her back, really. | Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to junior school with April, described her as a "lovely little girl". He said: "Everybody just wants her back, really. |
| "Whatever we've got to do, we'll do it. We're just hoping for the best, that she's closer rather than further away." | "Whatever we've got to do, we'll do it. We're just hoping for the best, that she's closer rather than further away." |
| 'Really worrying' | 'Really worrying' |
| Mayor of Machenlleth Gareth Jones, who was among those at the leisure centre, said people wanted to help the search in any way they could. | Mayor of Machenlleth Gareth Jones, who was among those at the leisure centre, said people wanted to help the search in any way they could. |
| "We're all shocked, and it's the uncertainty of it all as well of course which is really worrying," he said. | "We're all shocked, and it's the uncertainty of it all as well of course which is really worrying," he said. |
| "Our thoughts go out to the family, the close family and friends of April. | "Our thoughts go out to the family, the close family and friends of April. |
| "We're all here to help as you can see by the amount of people we've got here this evening. | "We're all here to help as you can see by the amount of people we've got here this evening. |
| "Anything we can do, we will do it." | "Anything we can do, we will do it." |
| Machynlleth town councillor Michael Williams was also among those taking part in the search. He said local people were "stunned". | Machynlleth town councillor Michael Williams was also among those taking part in the search. He said local people were "stunned". |
| "I've lived here all my life and I've never heard of anything like this before. The family must be devastated, and I hope to goodness the little girl is found without any huge delay. | "I've lived here all my life and I've never heard of anything like this before. The family must be devastated, and I hope to goodness the little girl is found without any huge delay. |
| 'Awful feeling' | 'Awful feeling' |
| "It just shows a town like Machynlleth when something does happen the people are out here, they've been out on the streets earlier looking - and here we are now, we will do whatever the police advise us to do to help look for this little child." | "It just shows a town like Machynlleth when something does happen the people are out here, they've been out on the streets earlier looking - and here we are now, we will do whatever the police advise us to do to help look for this little child." |
| Neighbour Rhydian Mason said: "Most of us I think have found out through social networking sites online like Facebook - that's where I first heard of it - and we all want to see what we can do to help. | Neighbour Rhydian Mason said: "Most of us I think have found out through social networking sites online like Facebook - that's where I first heard of it - and we all want to see what we can do to help. |
| "It's completely heartbreaking. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of April's parents and it's an awful feeling in the pit of the stomach. We're all out here hopefully to see if we can get a positive outcome to this story, and we'll do our best even if we're out all night." | "It's completely heartbreaking. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of April's parents and it's an awful feeling in the pit of the stomach. We're all out here hopefully to see if we can get a positive outcome to this story, and we'll do our best even if we're out all night." |
| Dyfed-Powys Police have asked anyone with information to contact a dedicated hotline on 0300 2000 333. |