Missing Shannon Matthews Found
Missing girl Shannon found alive
Shannon Matthews had been missing for three weeks
Missing nine-year-old schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been found alive, three weeks after she disappeared.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed she was found hidden in the base of a divan bed in a house in Lidgate Gardens in Batley Carr, about a mile from her home.
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.
'Very happy'
The young girl looked "quite calm" and officers confirmed that she was OK, the neighbours added.
Shannon's father Leon Rose said he was "over the moon".
During a search of the house, officers located Shannon Matthews who was found concealed in the base of a divan bed
West Yorkshire Police
"They just told me she was alive and she was well, and that's all I know at the moment, but that's good enough for the moment for me because I'm just over the moon at the minute," he said.
"Believe it or not, where she's been found, I'd actually been in that area a number of times and probably just walked straight past the house that she was in."
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.
Map of where Shannon was found
"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.
Shannon was found in the base of a bed in the property
"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 left the family home with police shortly before 1400 GMT. She has not yet been reunited with her daughter.
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."
Neighbour Christopher Heaps witnessed Shannon being brought out of the house by police.
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.
She was very calm and didn't look upset
Christopher Heaps, neighbour
"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.
"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.
Party on estate
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."
Mayor of Kirklees Jean Calvert said she was "delighted" Shannon had been found.
"It's an immense relief for the family, relatives and friends of Shannon and those who've supported the efforts to find her and have shown so much concern over what's been a very traumatic few weeks for them and the local community," she said.
Police smashed their way into the property
About 100 local residents have been holding a celebratory party on the estate.
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.
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.
The police hunt for Shannon had always focused on the local community.
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