Shannon's mother Karen, 32, along with her ex-partner Craig Meehan and his uncle Michael Donovan were all brought from prison and taken to separate police stations in the county yesterday.

The trio faced up to seven hours of questioning before being returned to the separate prisons.

The move is seen as unusual because all three are already charged with offences following the 24 days disappearance of nine-year-old Shannon.

On Friday night, police confirmed Craig Meehan, 22, of Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

He was later bailed pending further inquiries, West Yorkshire Police said.

A force spokesman said Meehan had been arrested along with his former partner Karen Matthews and his uncle Michael Donovan.

All were arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in relation to Shannon's disappearance.

The spokesman said: "A 22-year-old man, a 32-year-old woman and a 39-year-old man have been re-arrested, all on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

"All have been bailed to a later date."

Donovan, 39, of Lidgate Gardens, Batley Carr, was charged with Shannon's kidnap and imprisonment in March.

He will go on trial at Leeds Crown Court on November 11 alongside Matthews, 32, who is charged with child neglect and perverting the course of justice.

Detectives are understood to have re-interviewed them to cross-check statements they have previously made to police over Shannon's disappearance.

Shannon's mother Karen is in custody awaiting trial on charges of perverting the course of justice by concealing Shannon's whereabouts, and child neglect. Donovan is accused of abducting and falsely imprisoning Shannon. Those two are due for trial in November at Leeds Crown Court.

Meehan — not charged over her alleged abduction — is accused of child porn offences after police found indecent images on a computer at the home he shared with Karen, in Dewsbury Moor. He denied the charges at Dewsbury Magistrates' Court on Friday morning.

Donovan was questioned at Huddersfield police station, before being returned to Doncaster jail. Karen Matthews was brought from New Hall women's prison, near Wakefield and Meehan from Armley, Leeds.

Shannon vanished on her way home from school in Dewsbury Moor, West Yorkshire on February 19. She was rescued by police who broke into a flat a mile away 24 days later.