The community celebrating the astonishing reappearance of schoolgirl Shannon Matthews were hopeful that her parents would return home today after the pair spent the night in a hotel.

Detectives in England are tonight trying to unravel the mystery of what happened to Shannon Matthews between her disappearance 24 days ago and her dramatic rescue.

Family and friends of nine-year-old British girl Shannon Matthews were celebrating tonight after she was dramatically found alive 24 days after going missing.