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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 going missing. | Missing nine-year-old schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been found alive, three weeks after going missing. |
| West Yorkshire Police confirmed the girl had been found concealed in the base of a divan bed in a house in Lidgate Gardens in Batley Carr. | West Yorkshire Police confirmed the girl had been found concealed in the base of a divan bed in a house in Lidgate Gardens in Batley Carr. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| "During a search of the house, officers located Shannon Matthews who was found concealed in the base of a divan bed. | "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. | "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. |
| href="#map">Click here to see map of search area | |
| "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 had been driven away by police from the family home shortly before 1400 GMT. | Shannon's aunt Amanda Hyett said the schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews had been driven away by police from the family home shortly before 1400 GMT. |
| 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. |
| She was very calm and didn't look upset Christopher Heaps, neighbour | |
| 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. |
| "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." | |
| Children returning from school to houses in Shannon's road were crying and hugging each other after hearing she had been found. | |
| 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." |
| 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. | |
| 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's focus on the hunt for Shannon has always focused on the local community. | The police's focus on the hunt for Shannon has always focused on the local community. |
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