A 46-year-old man has been arrested by police searching for a five-year-old girl abducted from her street in mid Wales.
A 46-year-old man has been arrested by police searching for a five-year-old girl abducted from her street in mid Wales.
April Jones was with friends near her Machynlleth home when she "willingly" got into a van at 19:00 BST on Monday.
April Jones was with friends near her Machynlleth home when she "willingly" got into a van at 19:00 BST on Monday.
Police said they are continuing their search in order to bring her home to her family.
Police said they are continuing their search in order to bring her home to her family.
Officers also thanked emergency services and hundreds of people have joined the search for the child.
"We knew who we were looking for," said Det Supt Reg Bevan, who is leading the inquiry.
Det Supt Reg Bevan told an earlier news conference on Tuesday that police had gleaned more information from children who had been playing with April shortly before she went missing near her home on the Bryn Y Gog estate.
Speaking at a news conference in Aberystwyth, Det Supt Reg Bevan said: "Within the last hour we have arrested a 46-year-old man from the Machynlleth area who has been detained at Aberystwyth Police Station.
He said the children had told police the vehicle involved looked like a van.
"We made the arrest just outside Machynlleth and we're hopeful that the individual will assist in locating April who is still missing."
"They describe it as small at the front and large at the back, so it could be interpreted that this could be something similar to a Ford Connect type van or a Land Rover," he said.
He said that the man arrested was being sought by police and was stopped while he was walking along a road outside the town. His vehicle has now been recovered.
"Furthermore April has been described as getting into the driver's side of the vehicle. This may be because she got in with the driver or that it is left hand drive vehicle.
"We knew he was in the area, we've been anxious to trace him and speak to him," he added.
"We still believe that the van is grey or light coloured, but again these things can be affected by failing light and street lamps.
Det Supt Bevan added: "We're still pursuing all lines of inquiry with the view that April is still alive and will continue to do so until we find her."
"The indications are that she got into the vehicle willingly... There's nothing to suggest at this stage there was a struggle."
When asked if police were looking for anyone else, he said: "It's a very early stage. He is a local man and it's a small community. I wouldn't like to speculate further."
Det Supt Bevan added that police were concentrating efforts in the immediate vicinity following specialist advice.
Meanwhile, a 12 mile stretch of the A487 from Machynlleth to Cross Foxes near Dolgellau has been closed in both directions due to a "police incident".
April disappeared close to her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in Machynlleth. She was last seen by a friend getting into the driver's side of a light-coloured van at 19:00 BST on Monday. Police said she had left her home to play with friends earlier that evening. She was wearing a purple knee-length coat with her white school polo shirt and black trousers.
April disappeared close to her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate in Machynlleth. She was last seen by a friend getting into the driver's side of a light-coloured van at 19:00 BST on Monday. Police said she had left her home to play with friends earlier that evening. She was wearing a purple knee-length coat with her white school polo shirt and black trousers.
Town in shock
Town in shock
The quiet Powys market town of Machynlleth has been left stunned by the abduction of five-year-old April. Aerial images of the town, which has a population of about 2,000, show a small rural community surrounded by woodland and open countryside.
The quiet Powys market town of Machynlleth has been left stunned by the abduction of five-year-old April. Aerial images of the town, which has a population of about 2,000, show a small rural community surrounded by woodland and open countryside.
The search
The search
A police search was launched on Monday after April failed to return home. Hundreds of people from the Machynlleth community and beyond have since joined the hunt for the five year old. Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had used quad bikes and off-road vehicles to search an area with a 30-mile radius.
A police search was launched on Monday after April failed to return home. Hundreds of people from the Machynlleth community and beyond have since joined the hunt for the five year old. Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had used quad bikes and off-road vehicles to search an area with a 30-mile radius.
He said police had a significant number of pieces of information.
During an earlier news conference on Tuesday, Det Supt Bevan said police had gleaned more information from children who had been playing with April shortly before she went missing near her home on the Bryn Y Gog estate.
He said the children had told police the vehicle involved looked like a grey or light coloured van and that April has appeared to get inside "willingly".
Det Supt Bevan said at the time they had a significant number of pieces of information and that officers were concentrating efforts in the immediate vicinity following specialist advice.
This included an initial description of the driver but detectives were not comfortable releasing more details at this stage.
This included an initial description of the driver but detectives were not comfortable releasing more details at this stage.
Det Supt Bevan said Dyfed-Powys Police were getting help from neighbouring Welsh forces, and some in England via the Child Rescue Alert system (CRA).
Police have praised the "tremendous response" from the community as hundreds of people have been gathering at the local leisure centre to help with the search.
The CRA brings together the forces of police, media and the public to help find abducted children by publishing details as soon as possible.
The South Wales Police and Gwent Police helicopters are also helping in the search.
Road blocks have been set up as officers and hundreds of local people continue conducting searches of the local area, woodland and isolated farmland.
Road blocks have been set up as officers and hundreds of local people continue conducting searches of the local area, woodland and isolated farmland.
Police helicopters, the fire service and police dog teams have been mobilised. Refuse collections in the area were suspended on Tuesday as council workers were re-deployed to help the search.
Police helicopters, the fire service and police dog teams have been mobilised. Refuse collections in the area were suspended on Tuesday as council workers were re-deployed to help the search.
Bus companies have also been ferrying groups of people around the large, rural area to widen the search.
Bus companies have also been ferrying groups of people around the large, rural area to widen the search.
Police have praised the "tremendous response" from the community.
Hundreds of people have been gathering at the local leisure centre to help with the search.
Alun Hughes, a friend of April's family said: "We were out last night and at the moment we are waiting for the police to organise specialist searches of the town."
Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had searched an area with a 30-mile radius using quad bikes and off-road vehicles.
Search volunteer Anwen Morris said locals had searched an area with a 30-mile radius using quad bikes and off-road vehicles.
Mayor of Machynlleth Gareth Jones said people had travelled from outside of the area to help.
Mayor of Machynlleth Gareth Jones said people had travelled from outside of the area to help.
"We live in hope.," he said. "I want to appeal to people out there who may have seen something, even if they thought it's not of very much importance, to come forward and tell police."
"We live in hope.," he said. "I want to appeal to people out there who may have seen something, even if they thought it's not of very much importance, to come forward and tell police."
Powys County Council said it was providing support for pupils and staff at April's school - Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth.
Powys County Council said it was providing support for pupils and staff at April's school - Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth.
Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to school with April, described her as a "lovely little girl". He said: "Everybody just wants her back, really.
Brian Vaughn, whose daughter goes to 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."
Neighbour Rhydian Mason said: "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.
Neighbour Rhydian Mason said: "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.
Dyfed-Powys Police have asked anyone with information to contact a dedicated hotline on 0300 2000 333.
Dyfed-Powys Police have asked anyone with information to contact a dedicated hotline on 0300 2000 333.
