THE ABDUCTION OF SHANNON MATTHEWS

WHEN THE SCHOOLGIRL WENT MISSING, THE WHOLE TOWN WENT SEARCHING FOR HER

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In 2008, the case of missing British schoolgirl Shannon Matthews gripped the UK as a massive police search and media campaign got underway – only for it later to be discovered she was a victim of a fake kidnapping plot instigated by her mother, Karen, in a bid to pocket $100,000.

More than 250 officers and 60 detectives were involved in the search, and the police questioned 1500 motorists and residents of 3000 homes in a bid to find the missing 9-year-old.

Reward money was offered as part of the appeal, until she was eventually found drugged and tied to a bed at relative Michael Donovan’s flat a month after she disappeared.

Detective Constable Paul Kettlewell told the BBC at the time: “I heard Shannon’s voice from within this bedroom. I clearly heard her say, ‘Stop it, you’re frightening me now.’

“Although I knew I’d heard her, I didn’t know where she was. And then I became aware of movement within the bed.

“As I went across to the far side of the bed, Shannon’s head appeared on that side. I reached over, picked Shannon up and carried her out. I couldn’t believe that I’d found her. We had Shannon and she was alive, I just couldn’t believe it.”