Craig Meehan: Last News

Dubbed Britain's worst mum, Karen Matthews snatched her own daughter in a twisted crime which shook the nation.

The family of the man who kidnapped Shannon Matthews say if cops had listened to them they would have found her right away.

Shannon Matthews was the victim of a hoax kidnapping plot set up by her own mother Karen Matthews back in 2008. The story of the school girl - who was found alive - and her disappearance is the focus of Channel 5 documentary The Disappearance of Shannon Matthews.The documentary, which also features interviews with several people who knew the family - including Shannon's best friend at the time Megan Aldridge - as well as police officers who found Shannon, is available to stream via My5.Here's everything you need to know about what happened to Shannon Matthews.Shannon Matthews was reported as missing on February 19, 2008, after she vanished on her way home from a swimming lesson outside her school in Dewesbury, West Yorkshire.

The Sun.Back in February 2008, the then nine-year-old went missing from her home in Dewsbury, Yorkshire.For over three weeks, cops searched for the youngster, her local community put out missing posters and the public waited anxiously for news. During this time, Shannon's mum Karen Matthews and partner Craig Meehan gave tearful interviews that tugged at the heartstrings, pleading for the little girl's safe return.

Shannon Matthews and her siblings have been granted lifelong anonymity preventing their new identities from ever being revealed.