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SEARCH FOR SHANNON: Community united one week on
"Shannon, we want you home". The simple, powerful chant echoed round Dewsbury Moor as the family and friends of missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews marked a week since the youngster disappeared.
About 300 people – including Shannon's mum Karen, 32, and Karen's partner Craig Meehan, 22 – held a 'Walk for Shannon', starting at the tiny community centre in Dewsbury Moor which has become the hub of the local campaign and ending at Shannon's home just a few hundred yards away on Moorside Avenue.
Carrying a massive banner with pictures of the pretty nine-year-old who vanished last Tuesday, the crowd sang choruses of the hymn It's Love That Makes The World Go Round.
The song, according to locals, is a favourite at Shannon's school, Westmoor Junior School.
At the end of the walk, some of the 100 or so gathered local children released hundreds of colourful balloons into the air, each one bearing a personal message of hope to Shannon and to her family.
Youngsters also laid flowers in the family garden.
Shannon's mum Karen, who has been seeking solace with friends in the past few days, made her first public appearance in a week, as she posed in a campaign t-shirt bearing a picture of her beloved daughter and the simple message: 'Have you seen Shannon Matthews?'
The crowd had earlier applauded Ms Matthews and Mr Meehan as they left the Moorside Tenants and Residents Association Community Centre.
On the walk, Ms Matthews had joined in with the crowd as they chanted Shannon's name over and over again, calling out to the youngster in the hope that she was still nearby – and that she could hear them.
Flanked and protected by friends and family, Karen looked bewildered yet determined, pausing briefly for photos at the front door to her house before quickly retreating inside with her partner and two of her other children, Tony, 11, and Cameron, 4.
As the family returned to their private reflections, church and community leaders led a prayer for Shannon outside her family home.
The Rev Canon Kevin Partington, rector of Dewsbury, thanked the crowd for coming out on a cold and windy night.
"We are all here to show our love and support for Shannon and her family," he said.
"All our prayers are with them.
"It's a really significant night for the community on the first week anniversary of her disappearance.
"At the church in Dewsbury Moor, we felt we wanted to be out on the streets in this part of town showing our solidarity."
Asked later if people were beginning to lose hope of finding Shannon alive and well, he admitted there had to be some pessimism, but added: "There's always optimism and we should keep hoping as long as possible."
Julie Bushby, who has co-ordinated the mammoth community campaign from the tiny residents' association building since day one, said the local response had been "amazing" and thanked everyone who turned up for the poignant one-week anniversary.
She said it was the first time Shannon's mother had been able to see for herself the extent of the community effort – and it showed everyone continued to be hopeful.
"She (Karen) knows now that the community is there for her," she said.
"We would not have been out here tonight if we weren't hopeful."
One walker, who had travelled from the other side of Dewsbury to join in, said it was all about showing solidarity in a time of need.
And Dawn Spencer, an acquaintance of the Matthews family, said: "It's just about keeping positive. This is a tight-knit community and when something like this happens you all have to pull together. It's important to support each other."
The Rev Kathy Robertson, the newly installed vicar designate at the local St John's Church , said it was important to "stand and walk with the community" and local efforts so far had been "incredible".
She added the church was there to support Shannon's family if they needed it, and the message of the evening was simple: "We all want Shannon home and we want to express that to her."
An official Shannon Appeal has been set up to support the search for the youngster. Any cash donated will pay for publicity materials, volunteers' expenses and public meetings. Donate via: Unity Trust Bank, sort code 08-60-01, account number 20098500. Cheques should be made payable to the Shannon Matthews Appeal.
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
