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Search continues for missing girl Police probe missing girl claim
(about 2 hours later)
Scores of police officers are continuing their search for a missing nine-year-old girl who failed to return home on Tuesday. Detectives searching for a missing nine-year-old schoolgirl are following up a possible sighting of her a day after she was reported missing.
Shannon Matthews's disappearance was reported that night after she did not return to her home on Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire. Shannon Matthews, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was last seen leaving school in the town on Tuesday.
Search teams worked through Tuesday night in freezing conditions but temperatures rose on Thursday. Det Supt Andy Brennan said: "We've spoken to a witness who believes he saw Shannon at that time.
Officers are now checking out reports she had said she wanted to run away. "It was an adult who was convinced that it was Shannon - so we are treating it as a significant finding."
On Thursday morning her step aunt Amanda Hyett, who lives next door to Shannon's family said they were still waiting for news. Mr Brennan, of West Yorkshire's Homicide and Major Crimes unit, said Shannon had told friends she wanted to run away.
"My teams have spoken with a number of her friends and certainly on Monday or Tuesday this week she had suggested she may not want to come home.
"We have spoken to her friends and are satisfied she has made that comment.
"There has been no contact with family or friends we are aware of.
"It is of great concern to me now that a nine-year-old has been missing for over 48 hours."
On Thursday morning her step aunt Amanda Hyett, who lives next door to Shannon's family, said they were still waiting for news.
"We're just absolutely all shattered, we're all out looking."We're just absolutely all shattered, we're all out looking.
"We appreciate what the police are doing, they're out looking constantly."We appreciate what the police are doing, they're out looking constantly.
"We're just really wanting some news...to give us an edge...where to look next, that's all." "We're just really wanting some news... to give us an edge... where to look next, that's all."
Shannon's mother described her as a princess Mother's appeal
Family friend Petra Jameson said she was keen to get back to searching for the youngster.
"Once my kids are at school I'm going to see what I can do.
"Drive around, see if anybody has heard or seen anything.
"We've been putting posters on the shop windows. This morning I gave my husband about 20 posters.
"He works in the Doncaster, Wakefield and Leeds areas so he's going to put them up and so, hopefully, someone knows something."
On Wednesday evening her tearful mother, Karen, said: "Shannon, if you're out there, please come home. We love you to bits, we miss you so much."
Ch Supt Barry South, of West Yorkshire Police, said officers were looking at the possibility she may have run away.
He said more than 200 officers were involved in the search.
If she's hurt in anyway, we will love her better Karen Matthews
Appealing directly to her daughter, Shannon's mother added: "I'm begging you baby, please come home."
"Shannon, you are not in trouble, darling, please come home," she said.
"This is the first time Shannon you've done it, we don't know why baby, but we love you."
She described Shannon as her "beautiful princess daughter" and pleaded with anyone who may have her to bring "her home safe".
"If she's hurt in anyway, we will love her better," Mrs Matthews said.
"Me and her dad are missing her so much. Her little sister and brother [are] going out of their mind, they just want their big sister home safe."
Police said Shannon, who attends West Moor Junior School, has never been missing before.