Possible kidnapping: Extensive searches taking place in search of French girl, 9

Latest: Extensive searches are being conducted following the disappearance of a nine-year-old girl while at a wedding in eastern France.

Update 4.36pm: Extensive searches are being conducted following the disappearance of a nine-year-old girl while at a wedding in eastern France.

The BBC have reported that the girl, Maëlys De Araujo, was last seen in a children's room at about 3am on Sunday.

Police have questioned 180 people from the wedding, which took place in Pont-de-Beautoisin, Isère.

70 other interviews will take place with people from two other events that took place in the same area that night.

A wedding guest spoke to Le Parisien about what had happened when they realised the girl was missing.

Grégoire said: "The DJ for the evening announced on the microphone that a child had disappeared. Suddenly, everyone started searching, in the main hall and outside.

"It was anguish. To see the disappearance of a nine-year-old, that's not nothing. We initially thought she must be asleep in a corner after a game of hide-and-seek. After an hour, as we'd found nothing, the police were alerted."

Grégoire said he believed that a kidnapping had taken place.

It has also been reported that police dogs failed to find a scent of the girl beyond the car park of the wedding hall which suggests the girl did not run away.

French police have appealed for witnesses to come forward to help find Maëlys, who they say is 130cm tall (4'3"), weighs 28kg (4st 6lb), has dark skin, brown eyes and hair, and was wearing a white sleeveless dress.

Earlier: French police are widening the search for a nine-year-old girl who disappeared during a wedding in the Alps, combing woods and streams and questioning more potential witnesses.

A photo and description of the youngster has been posted and tweeted across France since she vanished at the weekend, and the local prosecutor opened a kidnapping investigation.

The national gendarme service said some 150 police divided up on Wednesday morning to broaden their search around the town of Pont-de-Beauvoisin. Divers, search dogs, volunteer citizens and helicopters are also helping in the hunt.

Le Parisien newspaper reported that officers are questioning 250 people, including everyone who was at the wedding as well as at two other parties in the town on Saturday night, when the girl was last seen.

She has been publicly identified only by her first name, Maelys.

AP