THE latest on the Shannon investigation.
Friday April 113.30pm - Shannon Matthews's stepfather Craig Meehan has been refused bail by Dewsbury Magistrates.
Thursday April 104.45pm - The three women aged 49, 29 and 25 arrested earlier today on suspicion of perverting the course of justice have now been bailed pending further enquries.
2pm - Police investigating the abduction of Shannon Matthews have arrested a 29-year-old woman.
Detectives have also re-arrested 25-year-old Amanda Hyett, the sister of Shannon's stepfather, and 49-year-old Alice Meehan, his mother.
All three are being held at police stations in West Yorkshire on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
Wednesday April 911am - Karen Matthews is remanded in custody after appearing before Dewsbury Magistrates charged with perverting the course of justice and child neglect. She will appear before Leeds Crown Court via video link on Wednesday.
Tuesday April 88.50pm - Karen Matthews is charged with perverting the course of justice and with child neglect. She is due to appear before Dewsbury Magistrates tomorrow morning
Karen Matthews has spent the night in police custody being questioned about her daughter Shannon's disappearance. The 32-year-old was arrested on Sunday night in Dewsbury on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
Monday April 79am - The man accused of abducting Shannon Matthews has been treated in hospital after what the authorities said was a "serious case of self harm".
Michael Donovan, 39, was later taken from hospital back to Leeds prison where he is currently on remand awaiting trial.
Sunday April 6The mother of Shannon Matthews has been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
Karen Matthews, aged 32, was arrested in Dewsbury at around midnight.
Saturday April 5Two women arrested in connection with the police inquiry have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
The 25-year-old is believed to be Amanda Hyett, sister of Shannon's step-dad Craig Meehan, and the 49-year-old, his mother, Alice Meehan.
FRIDAY APRIL 4Detectives investigating the alleged abduction of Shannon have this morning arrested two women in Dewsbury.
A 25-year old has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and a 49-year old on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
They are being questioned at police stations in West Yorkshire.
THURSDAY APRIL 311.30am - Meehan will next appear in court on April 11.
9am - Craig Meehan is due before Dewsbury Magistrates this morning.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 2Police investigating Shannon Matthews' disappearance have arrested her step-father on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.
Craig Meehan, 22, from Dewsbury Moor, is being questioned at a police station in West Yorkshire.
A police spokesman said the arrest came about after the Shannon investigation team seized the contents of a number of computers and examined them.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 2612.06pm - Michael Donovan appeared at Leeds Crown Court earlier. He will next appear on July 11 and go on trial in November.
TUESDAY MARCH 1810.53am - Michael Donovan, 39, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, appeared before Dewsbury magistrates at 10.15am this morning.
Click here for the full storyMONDAY MARCH 1711pm - A 39-year-old man is charged with kidnap and false imprisonment. He is due to appear before Dewsbury Magistrates the following morning.
Click here for the full story4.30pm - Heckmondwike's MP Shahid Malik said we should "rejoice" at the "miracle" rescue of Shannon Matthews, not criticise police.
And he revealed his own house and garden was search by officers who were part of an "extremely thorough" investigation.
Click here for the full story1.15pm - Police have been given further time to question the 39-year-old arrested on Friday.
SUNDAY MARCH 168.25pm - Shannon's mother, Karen, says she fully understands why her daughter cannot yet come home, as police continue their painstaking inquiries as to what happened during her disappearance.
She thanks the police, the media and local community for their help but pleads for privacy when Shannon returns home and for people to remember she is just a nine-year-old girl.
11.40am - A 39-year-old man, who was arrested on Friday on suspicion of abduction, went before magistrates last night who granted a warrant of further detention. He will continue to be interviewed by officers today.
Specially-trained officers will also continue speaking to Shannon Matthews today as part of the investigation.
SATURDAY MARCH 156.45pm - Shannon's mother Karen Matthews and father Leon Rose have spoken of their overwhelming relief at seeing the nine-year-old for the first time in 24 days and nights.
Click here for the full story3.33pm - The parents of Shannon Matthews reportedly spent last night in a hotel. Officers will stay with them whilst Shannon is interviewed by police.
3.13pm - A national newspaper has claimed police have defended themselves after criticisms of the amount of time it took to find Shannon. The paper claims police said the network of people they were questioning consisted of "hundreds".
11.00am - Police say Shannon has had a comfortable and settled night and is starting on the road to recovery following her ordeal.
She spent last night watching DVDs, has had breakfast this morning and has been playing with a kitten.
Today she will continue to be supported by specially trained officers who will try to carefully establish what has happened since she went missing on Tuesday February 19.
Shannon remains under care of the Police protection order. Her well-being and welfare continue to be the priority of West Yorkshire Police.
10.00am - Many of this morning's national papers have claimed the 39-year-old man arrested goes under two names and have given further details about him - though police have confirmed nothing but his age.
9.00am - An impromptu street party was held last night near Shannon's home. New 'missing' posters, which were printed yesterday, were ripped up and thrown into the air as dozens of friends, family members and well-wishers celebrated the relief of Shannon being found alive.
FRIDAY MARCH 149.00pm - Police say questioning of the 39-year-old man arrested on suspicion of abduction will likely last into next week.
8.30pm - Shannon has been made the subject of an Emergency Police Protection Order and will be cared for by Social Services. Police said tonight:"As part of our ongoing enquiries, and following medical checks, West Yorkshire Police will begin the process of interviewing Shannon.
"This may be a long process but throughout this enquiry 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.
8.20pm - It has been reported the longest time a child has been missing, in a similar situation in the UK and found alive is two weeks. Shannon was missing for 24 days.
8.10pm - A car, believed to belong to the man in whose house Shannon was found, has been isolated by police.
Specialist forensics teams are carrying out thorough investations of both the upstairs flat he lived in, as well as the car.
7.10pm - Shannon's uncle Neil Hyett told news crews: "We're totally over the moon. I can't believe it. I've always thought in my head and heart that she was going to come home."
7.05pm - A neighbour of the man whose house Shannon was found in tells TV reporters the little girl was clinging on to police officers "for dear life" as she was carried to safety.
"They had to drag the man out. He kept saying 'I'm a poorly man'," she adds.
Family friend Petra Jamieson tells of the strain that the last three weeks has had on everyone.
"It has been stressful not just for the adults - her family - but the younger kids as well. They've heard and seen things in the newspapers so it's been tough for them as well."
6.55pm - A member of the family tells TV crews: "We were howling with complete joy. They are getting their daughter back alive. We all knew in our hearts that she was alive."
6.45pm - ITV news crews show exclusive footage of the moment Shannon's family received the news she was alive.
Family members and friends are shown receiving a telephone call with the news they had all been waiting for.
Her aunt, Amanda Hyett, breaks down in tears as she says: "We just need her to come home now so we can give her a cuddle. She's fine, she's well and I just want to thank everyone who has helped."
5.46pm - The father of Shannon Matthews says seeing his daughter again will be like winning the lottery.
Leon Rose told Sky News: "I'm over the moon I thank everyone that helped. I said before I wouldn't give up. I'm just thankful she is home.
"Every night has been a nightmare and I've been waking up through the night. During the day I've just tried to keep busy as much as I can."
Asked whether he had contemplated whether she would ever be found, he replied: "She was definitely going to be found one way or another. It was something I didn't want to think about."
5.40pm - News vendors in the capital were shouting the news that Shannon had been found - even though the news came too late for the evening editions. One was reportedly listening on his radio and another was stopping passers-by to tell them.
5.04pm - A banner has been put up in the street where Shannon lives welcoming her home. It has been signed by her friends and family.
Family, friends and neighbours who are celebrating the news in the street said they hoped to see the youngster back home tonight.
5.01pm - Reports say that the charity Missing People recently contacted police after being told Shannon might be in Lidgate Gardens.
A spokesman could not confirm exactly when it received the report, but said in a statement: "The charity recently received a sighting suggesting that Shannon might be at Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr.
"Missing People passed this information to police via an information protocol."
4.30pm - The Mayor of Kirklees Coun Jean Calvert issued a statement after Shannon was found. She said: "Like everyone else who has been following the events of the last three weeks I am delighted that Shannon has been found.
"It is an immense relief for the family, relatives and friends of Shannon, and those who have been supporting the efforts to find her, and have shown so much concern over what has been a very traumatic few weeks for them and the local community."
4.10pm - Leon Rose, Shannon's dad, says he is 'over the moon' and wants to thank everyone for their help in finding his daughter.
3.52pm - Peter Brown, who lives in Shannon's road, said he was the first one to tell Karen Matthews that her daughter was alive.
He said: "She just froze. She was in shock. Then her reaction was crying.
"After that, she had a phone call from the police liaison officer. They came to pick her up, Karen and Craig both left the house together.
"We're going to have a party tonight."
3.40pm - Family friend Peter Brown says Shannon's mum Karen was delighted and shocked that her daughter was alive.
3.38pm - Conservative leader David Cameron said he was "delighted" to hear that Shannon had been found alive.
Speaking to reporters at his party's spring forum in Gateshead, Mr Cameron said: "I just feel huge relief on behalf of Shannon and her family.
"It is wonderful news that she's been found alive and, I hope, well.
"So often in these cases, you wait and you wait and then you hear tragic and awful news. All of us were thinking that was maybe what might happen and it is great that she is alive."
3.36pm - A large area of Batley Carr had been sealed off by police, with police tape surrounding one long terrace of houses in Lidgate Gardens.
The back door of number 26 had been kicked in by police and the doorframe was hanging off.
3.12pm - One local resident has said: "She looked OK, there didn't seem to be any physical marks on her.
"You could tell she was scared, though, there was something in her face.
"The police put her in a car and drove her away.
"About five minutes later the cops dragged a man out and put him in a van."
3.10pm - Police confirm Shannon was found at a flat in Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, at 12.30pm this afternoon.
During a search of the house, officers located Shannon 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 is currently in the care of West Yorkshire Police.
Investigations are ongoing.
2.48pm - Shannon's aunt Amanda Hyett said: "We've all heard the news. It is great news. I've just heard the news like everyone else. I'm just trying to check if it's right."
2.45pm - Police officially confirmed that a man had been arrested in connection with the discovery of Shannon.
2.33pm - Police confirm missing Shannon Matthews has been found safe and well. Unofficial reports suggested the nine-year-old had been found at a house believed to be in the neighbouring town of Batley Carr.
A local residents tells the YEP: "I have just seen Shannon being taken out of a house in Batley Carr. She is safe and well."
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