Schoolgirl Shannon Matthews has been made the subject of an Emergency Police Protection Order after she was found at an address in Dewsbury.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of abducting the nine-year-old, who was discovered by police in the base of a divan bed at a flat in Batley Carr, about a mile from her home in West Yorkshire.

The man has been named locally as Mick Donovan, formerly known as Paul Drake, and is understood to be a member of Shannon's extended family.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Shannon Matthews has been away from home for almost four weeks. As part of our ongoing enquiries, and following medical checks, West Yorkshire Police will begin the process of interviewing Shannon.

"We have 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."

An emergency protection order can be put into place when a child or young person is considered to be in immediate danger.

Neighbours have described how police smashed their way into a flat and emerged carrying Shannon. They said the young girl looked "quite calm" and officers confirmed that she was fine.

A local resident said: "One of my neighbours heard banging. When he went outside, police were breaking the door down - the man wouldn't come out so they broke in.

"Apparently they found her in bed. He said she was quite calm. Police carried her out. My neighbour asked, 'is it Shannon?" and the policeman just said, 'yes' and said she was OK."

Shannon had not been seen since she disappeared after a school swimming trip in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on February 19.

Ms Hyett said the schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews had been driven away by police from the family home shortly before 2pm.

Shannon's father has said he is "over the moon" that his daughter had been found alive and said being reunited with her would be like "winning the lottery". He also thanked everyone who helped in the search for her.

Earlier this week, the 32-year-old mother-of-seven said she believed someone she knows had snatched her daughter to hurt her. But Mrs Matthews said she did not know who could have taken the shy youngster.

Mrs Matthews said: "She got abducted. That's all I can say."

Asked if she thought it was someone she knew who took her, she said: "It seems that way because there's no trace of her at all.

"There's no trace of her swimming costume, her towel or anything like that that she's taken with her."

And asked why someone close to her would do it, Mrs Matthews replied: "Just to hurt me, really."

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