Runaway schoolgirl Megan Stammers expected to fly home this weekend

Schoolgirl Megan Stammers is expected to fly home to the UK today more than a week after she went missing with her 30-year-old maths teacher, it was reported.

It is thought the 15-year-old’s mother, Danielle Wilson, will travel to Bordeaux to be reunited with her daughter and accompany her back home to Eastbourne, East Sussex in England, the BBC said.

Jeremy Forrest, Megan’s teacher at Bishop Bell C of E School, in Eastbourne, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of child abduction in Bordeaux after the pair went missing last Friday. He remains in custody in France.

The pair were spotted in the town on Thursday by a member of the public who recognised Forrest from television coverage, Chief Inspector Jason Tingley from Sussex Police said.

It was the third potential sighting of the pair in the city, and they were tracked down shortly after midday yesterday.

Last night the teenager’s family expressed their joy that she had been found.

Megan’s stepfather Martin Stammers told reporters at a press conference: “We just can’t wait to be reunited with her. Our family are overjoyed at the outcome. As you can imagine it’s been an absolute emotional rollercoaster.”

It is understood that the teenager has already spoken to her family.

Thanking the police, media and members of the public for maintaining publicity in the case, Mr Stammers said: “I just can’t put it into words how grateful we are as a family.”

He asked that they are left alone in private to “bond as a family” after her disappearance.

Mr Tingley said: “Megan is now in the care of British consular staff and Sussex Police child protection team officers. She will be returned to the UK to be with her family.

“Jeremy is in custody in Bordeaux after his arrest and the process of his extradition will now commence.”

Megan was reported missing when she failed to turn up for school last Friday, and it emerged that she had travelled with Forrest to France the previous evening, sparking a highly-publicised search.

Forrest’s parents Jim and Julie Forrest said in a statement: “We are pleased that Megan and Jeremy have been found safe and well. This has been an ordeal for all the families concerned.

“We would like to thank Sussex and the French police as well as the British media for their assistance.

“We are relieved that the search is finally over and everyone can now focus on a safe and secure return for them both.”

Terry Boatwright, headteacher of Bishop Bell C of E School, which Megan attends, said everyone was “delighted” that she had been found.

He said: “Throughout the last week, finding Megan has been everyone’s priority and a major focus of our thoughts and prayers in school. Clearly, much needs to be done now to support Megan and her family as they seek to return to some sort of normality and we will do all we can to play our part in that.”

It was claimed that concerns had been raised about the teenager’s relationship with her teacher as early as February, when her friend told another teacher that they had been seen holding hands.

East Sussex Council said it was investigating what happened.