Search continues in Shannon hunt

[Chezzie]

Detectives hunting for nine-year-old Shannon Matthews are carrying out "significant" searches of areas in Dewsbury where she was last seen.

Police have yet to make any major breakthrough in the case, which is in its sixth day.

A flat in the Dewsbury area is among the properties and locations being searched by officers.

Shannon went missing from her West Yorkshire home on Tuesday and was seen on CCTV leaving a swimming pool.

More than 200 homes within half a mile of the youngster's Moorside Road home in Dewsbury have been searched.

West Yorkshire Police said they remain "gravely concerned" for her safety.

Family members and volunteers wearing special T-shirts have been handing out leaflets appealing for information.

Prayers have been said at St James Church, Heckmondwike, close to the schoolgirl's home.

Specialist divers have repeated a search of a pond which lies 500m from the family's home near Dewsbury Hospital.

Officers have been scouring places popular with children, while sheds, drains and sewers are also being examined.



Shannon has been missing since Tuesday afternoon

About 250 police officers have been involved in the search.

Shannon's family handed out leaflets showing her picture at Leeds United's Elland Road ground at Saturday's game with Crewe Alexandra.

She is described as around 4ft 1in and slim, with shoulder-length, medium-brown hair, possibly tied up in a ponytail and has blue eyes and freckles.

The CCTV images show her leaving Dewsbury Sports Centre wearing distinctive pink Bratz boots.

On Saturday Chief Superintendent Barry South, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We are still putting extensive resources into our search activity and that will continue for the foreseeable future."

Posters in English, Urdu and Hungarian, have been displayed in shop windows in the area.

More than 300 calls from members of the public have been received by police.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/7261208.stm

This is heartbreaking...Hope the find her soon, safe and well:(

[Peg]

I hope they find her safe and well and soon. :-1

[chrisb84uk]

I really hope they are able to find her safe, sound and soon, because you longer she stays the missing the more worrying it will become.



My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family during these hard times! :yh_pray