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| April Jones: man arrested as search continues | April Jones: man arrested as search continues |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Detectives involved in the massive hunt for a five-year-old girl abducted from the street as she played with friends were on Tuesday night questioning a suspect – a man known to the police – in the hope that they would find the child alive. | Detectives involved in the massive hunt for a five-year-old girl abducted from the street as she played with friends were on Tuesday night questioning a suspect – a man known to the police – in the hope that they would find the child alive. |
| Police sources told the Guardian that the man arrested was a local resident called Mark Bridger. The 46-year-old was detained some 22 hours after April Jones was snatched from near her home in the rural town of Machynlleth in mid-Wales. Her disappearance triggered the first nationwide child rescue alert in the UK. | Police sources told the Guardian that the man arrested was a local resident called Mark Bridger. The 46-year-old was detained some 22 hours after April Jones was snatched from near her home in the rural town of Machynlleth in mid-Wales. Her disappearance triggered the first nationwide child rescue alert in the UK. |
| The arrest came as April's parents Coral, 40 and Paul, 43, were about to make an appeal at a press conference in Aberystwyth for information about their missing child. | The arrest came as April's parents Coral, 40 and Paul, 43, were about to make an appeal at a press conference in Aberystwyth for information about their missing child. |
| Instead of the parents appearing, the senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Reg Bevan, of Dyfed- Powys police, said that the man had been arrested on suspicion of abduction. He was walking along the side of a road near Machynlleth when he was arrested. | |
| Bevan said they hoped his arrest would help officers find April. "We are still searching for April as if she is alive and we will continue to do so," he said. | |
| In a statement read out by police officers at a later press conference , April's family appealed for her safe return, saying their lives had been shattered. "Please, please if you have our little girl, let her come home to us," the statement added. | |
| Officers then said that as well as detaining the 46-year-old, they had also seized a left-hand drive Land Rover Discovery. | |
| Shortly after the announcement of the arrest, the search for April moved to a road north of the town, the A487, where a light coloured vehicle was seen surrounded by police cars. | Shortly after the announcement of the arrest, the search for April moved to a road north of the town, the A487, where a light coloured vehicle was seen surrounded by police cars. |
| Police and coastguards were seen searching alongside the River Dyfi near the town of Corris, outside Machynlleth. | Police and coastguards were seen searching alongside the River Dyfi near the town of Corris, outside Machynlleth. |
| Bevan revealed that the suspect – who is not thought to be a relative but did know the family – was known to have a vehicle matching the description of the one April's friends saw her get into on Monday night. | |
| "We knew he was in the area, we've been anxious to trace him and speak to him," said Bevan. "He came into the inquiry as a result of initial investigations and we have been anxious to trace him. He has a vehicle similar to what was seen near to where April went missing." | |
| It is known that police are identifying known paedophiles that might be living in the area as one line of inquiry. Police also confirmed that they are looking at possible links between April's abduction and a suspected attempt last week. A driver was seen "acting suspiciously" in the Aberystwyth area, the apparent target being a young schoolboy. | |
| The five-year-old was abducted as she played on her bike with friends near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate around 7pm on Monday. | The five-year-old was abducted as she played on her bike with friends near her home on the Bryn-y-Gog estate around 7pm on Monday. |
| During Monday night and throughout Tuesday hundreds of volunteers – some from the town and others from further afield arrived to help in the search. | During Monday night and throughout Tuesday hundreds of volunteers – some from the town and others from further afield arrived to help in the search. |
| Her seven-year-old friend has told police that she got into the driver's side of a light coloured van-like vehicle. Police said specially trained officers were carefully talking to the child to get more information, but April apparently got into the car "willingly." | Her seven-year-old friend has told police that she got into the driver's side of a light coloured van-like vehicle. Police said specially trained officers were carefully talking to the child to get more information, but April apparently got into the car "willingly." |
| The child rescue alert has never been used across the country like this before, partly because suspected stranger abductions are rare. | The child rescue alert has never been used across the country like this before, partly because suspected stranger abductions are rare. |
| Charlie Hedges, manager of the missing, abducted and kidnapped children section within the Child Exploitation and Online Protection unit, said the decision to launch the alert was made because the risk to April was so great, and in the knowledge that to do so could swamp the investigating team. | Charlie Hedges, manager of the missing, abducted and kidnapped children section within the Child Exploitation and Online Protection unit, said the decision to launch the alert was made because the risk to April was so great, and in the knowledge that to do so could swamp the investigating team. |
| A team from Ceop has travelled to Wales to work with Dyfed- Powys police in the hunt for April. The massive police search involves two helicopters with thermal imaging cameras, sniffer dogs, mountain rescue teams, the fire service and hundreds of officers and volunteers. | |
| Police forces across the country – including from the Metropolitan police – have offered support to the small rural force. There are nationwide alerts out for any sign of April and police were also looking through CCTV footage from private homes, municipal cameras and the road network. | Police forces across the country – including from the Metropolitan police – have offered support to the small rural force. There are nationwide alerts out for any sign of April and police were also looking through CCTV footage from private homes, municipal cameras and the road network. |
| One of the difficulties for police is that the witness to the abduction is a seven- year-old child, April's best friend. Police specially trained in interviewing children were continuing to interview the girl trying to "delicately" coax every drop of information from her. | One of the difficulties for police is that the witness to the abduction is a seven- year-old child, April's best friend. Police specially trained in interviewing children were continuing to interview the girl trying to "delicately" coax every drop of information from her. |
| Bevan said the family were extremely distraught and were being supported by experienced officers. "It's every family's worst nightmare to suffer a child go missing in this way," he said. | Bevan said the family were extremely distraught and were being supported by experienced officers. "It's every family's worst nightmare to suffer a child go missing in this way," he said. |
| "Clearly April's gone into the vehicle. There's nothing to suggest otherwise." | "Clearly April's gone into the vehicle. There's nothing to suggest otherwise." |
| Neighbours on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April and her family live said April and the girl who were playing with her were best friends. | Neighbours on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where April and her family live said April and the girl who were playing with her were best friends. |
| Judy Price, 56, who lives 200 yards away, said: "They were always together. I would often see them playing together outside their homes. April is a lovely little thing, always smiling and from a very good and caring home." | Judy Price, 56, who lives 200 yards away, said: "They were always together. I would often see them playing together outside their homes. April is a lovely little thing, always smiling and from a very good and caring home." |
| Matthew Harris, 22, who lives on the estate, said: "The general feeling is one of disbelief, nobody can take it on board." | Matthew Harris, 22, who lives on the estate, said: "The general feeling is one of disbelief, nobody can take it on board." |
| April's godmother Mair Raftree, 41, from Aberystwyth, who helped with the effort to find her, said: "She's a quiet girl, and an important member of her family. She would never go with anybody and ask for a lift. We just want her back safely." | |
| Since April disappeared hundreds of people both from the small Welsh town and from further afield have travelled to the area to help police in their search. Gathering at the community centre in the town, the volunteers were counted into 10 groups of 20 and sent out into the hills, woodlands and fields on with a mountain rescue guide as part of the hunt. | Since April disappeared hundreds of people both from the small Welsh town and from further afield have travelled to the area to help police in their search. Gathering at the community centre in the town, the volunteers were counted into 10 groups of 20 and sent out into the hills, woodlands and fields on with a mountain rescue guide as part of the hunt. |