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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Shannon 'starts road to recovery' | Shannon 'starts road to recovery' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Nine-year-old Shannon Matthews, who was rescued after going missing for three weeks, is "starting on the road to recovery", police have said. | Nine-year-old Shannon Matthews, who was rescued after going missing for three weeks, is "starting on the road to recovery", police have said. |
| She spent "a comfortable and settled night" watching films and playing with a kitten after being rescued from a flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire. | She spent "a comfortable and settled night" watching films and playing with a kitten after being rescued from a flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire. |
| Specially-trained officers are talking to Shannon, who is in social services care, to find out what happened to her. | Specially-trained officers are talking to Shannon, who is in social services care, to find out what happened to her. |
| Her stepfather's uncle has been arrested on suspicion of abduction. | Her stepfather's uncle has been arrested on suspicion of abduction. |
| The 39-year-old, said locally to use two names - Paul Drake and Mick Donovan - was taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up before being taken into police custody. | The 39-year-old, said locally to use two names - Paul Drake and Mick Donovan - was taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up before being taken into police custody. |
| He and Shannon were found by police in two concealed compartments under a divan bed at a flat in Lidgate Gardens on Friday afternoon. | |
| Map of where Shannon was found | Map of where Shannon was found |
| West Yorkshire Police said they would try to carefully establish what has happened since the schoolgirl went missing on 19 February, but they expected it to be a long process. | West Yorkshire Police said they would try to carefully establish what has happened since the schoolgirl went missing on 19 February, but they expected it to be a long process. |
| A force spokesman said: "Shannon remains under care of the police protection order. Her well-being and welfare continues to be the priority of West Yorkshire Police." | A force spokesman said: "Shannon remains under care of the police protection order. Her well-being and welfare continues to be the priority of West Yorkshire Police." |
| Those in the community celebrating the girl's reappearance were hopeful that her parents would return home on Saturday after the pair spent the night in a hotel. | Those in the community celebrating the girl's reappearance were hopeful that her parents would return home on Saturday after the pair spent the night in a hotel. |
| Her 32-year-old mother and stepfather Craig Meehan, 22, looked tired and drawn as they left Dewsbury Police Station on Friday night. | Her 32-year-old mother and stepfather Craig Meehan, 22, looked tired and drawn as they left Dewsbury Police Station on Friday night. |
| Neighbours said Shannon's mother had been briefly reunited with her daughter. | Neighbours said Shannon's mother had been briefly reunited with her daughter. |
| Shannon Matthews had been missing for 24 days | Shannon Matthews had been missing for 24 days |
| Family friend Petra Jamieson, who lives a few doors down from their home on Moorside Road, said Mrs Matthews had told her they had stayed in a hotel. | Family friend Petra Jamieson, who lives a few doors down from their home on Moorside Road, said Mrs Matthews had told her they had stayed in a hotel. |
| "I'm looking after their three children as well as my own while they are away," she said. | "I'm looking after their three children as well as my own while they are away," she said. |
| "I hope that they'll be back today but we just don't know." | "I hope that they'll be back today but we just don't know." |
| Shannon's natural father, Leon Rose, is also understood to have spent time with her following her rescue. | Shannon's natural father, Leon Rose, is also understood to have spent time with her following her rescue. |
| Police sources defended the amount of time taken to find Shannon just one mile from her home. | |
| There were "literally hundreds of people" in a "huge family network" that required a large amount of resources, a police source said. | |
| 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 its biggest since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. | The force said the operation was its biggest since the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. |
| Yorkshire MEP Edward Macmillan-Scott called for a review of Britain's procedures for dealing with missing children, insisting that a system such as the "Amber Alert", which is used in the US, France and Belgium, would have meant Shannon being found within hours. | |
| Mr McMillan-Scott said he would not criticise police without knowing the full facts about the case but had requested a meeting with officers in West Yorkshire. | |
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