Celebrating community awaits return of Shannon's parents
The community celebrating the astonishing reappearance of schoolgirl Shannon Matthews were hopeful that her parents would return home today after the pair spent the night in a hotel.
Nine-year-old Shannon, who had been missing for 24 days, was discovered hidden in the base of a bed in a flat less then a mile from her family home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
Her mother Karen Matthews, 32, and stepfather Craig Meehan, 22, looked tired and drawn as they left Dewsbury Police Station at 8pm last night.
Neighbours said they were briefly reunited with Shannon yesterday before police began interviewing her.
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 hope that they’ll be back today but we just don’t know.”
Police arrested 39-year-old Mick Donovan, formerly known as Paul Drake, on suspicion of Shannon’s abduction at the flat in Lidgate Gardens, in the Batley Carr area of Dewsbury.
He is understood to be the uncle of the schoolgirl’s stepfather Craig Meehan.
Shannon was last night made the subject of an Emergency Police Protection Order.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Shannon Matthews has been away from home for almost four weeks.
“As part of our ongoing inquiries, and following medical checks, West Yorkshire Police will begin the process of interviewing Shannon.
“This may be a long process but throughout this inquiry our main focus has been and continues to be Shannon’s welfare.
“We have therefore taken the decision that, for now, it is in Shannon’s best interests that she be made subject of an Emergency Police Protection Order.
“This will remain in place until we have had time to establish the full facts of what happened in the time since her disappearance.”
Shannon disappeared after leaving Westmoor Junior School on February 19 following a swimming trip.
West Yorkshire Police reportedly went to the flat where the “timid” schoolgirl was found after receiving tip-offs from a neighbour and the charity Missing People.
Neighbours said Mr Donovan had lived in the flat for three or four years and “kept himself to himself”.
Christopher Heaps came out of his home at number 4 Lidgate Gardens just after midday yesterday after hearing banging and saw police smash the door of the flat down.
“About five minutes after that a policeman came out with a girl under his arms,” he said.
“I just said to the policeman ’Is that Shannon?’ and he said ’Yeah, this is Shannon’.”
Mr Heaps said a woman in the downstairs flat raised the alarm.
Many residents on Moorside Road celebrated with a huge street party last night.
Scores of neighbours gathered at the community centre to set up disco lights, let off fireworks and crack open bottles.
A huge banner saying “Welcome back, Shannon” was draped across the street as the crowd tore up the leaflets they had printed appealing for help to find the youngster.
