Police Have Shannon's Fingerprints

Police searching for missing schoolgirl Shannon Matthews have said that they have a full set of her fingerprints and a DNA profile of her.

West Yorkshire Police said that they had built up a composite fingerprint from the nine-year-old's schoolbooks, items in her bedroom and other personal items, as well as the full DNA profile.

Shannon disappeared on February 19 as she was returning home from a school swimming trip in Dewsbury.

More than 500 homes on the route Shannon should have taken from her school - Westmoor Junior School - to her home in Moorside Road, Dewsbury Moor have been searched by officers using sniffer dogs that are trained to find bodies. Sex offenders in the area have also been questioned and it was also revealed that police had carried out criminal checks on members of Shannon's family.

On Tuesday, Detective Superintendent Andy Brennan made a fresh appeal for information about the missing schoolgirl. He stressed that West Yorkshire Police were committed to finding Shannon and there were still 250 officers and 60 detectives involved in the search for her.

Searches are also continuing in the Dewsbury Moor area and CCTV footage has been recovered from premises in the area.

Details about the swimsuit and towel Shannon had with her have also been released. She had a pink two-piece swimsuit with blue fish on the top and a blue striped towel in a plastic bag. The items have not been recovered and police hope that, if they were discarded, someone may have spotted them.

Det Supt Brennan said: "Today my appeal is focused on the people of Dewsbury Moor. We thank them for their ongoing support. Their community spirit has been excellent. We would again appeal to anyone living there who may have information, however small, to come forward. It might be the vital piece of information that we are looking for."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact: 01274 373737.

(KMcA/JM)