Search still underway for missing April Jones as man is arrested

Mountain rescue volunteers and 40 police are still searching for the missing Welsh five-year-old April Jones

The search is still underway for missing child April Jones, with mountain rescue volunteers and more than 40 police officers looking for her.

April was abducted in Machynlleth, near Aberystwyth, on Monday round 7pm, after apparently getting into a Land Rover Discovery vehicle.

This comes as a former soldier was arrested on suspicion of her abduction.

Officers have released pictures of Mark Bridger, 46, in the hope more witnesses will come forward.

Superintendent Ian John, the local police commander, told a press conference in Aberystwyth that although they did not have any news on April’s whereabouts, they will continue to pursue search areas.

He added: 'As today goes on and further interviews with the person in custody [are carried out], we will obviously anticipate intelligence and information coming out of those interviews, which are going to drive where the police search operation will inevitably go from there.'

Officers believe April will be found close to where she went missing and are therefore focusing their search in and around Machynlleth.

Police have also appealed to volunteers to stop carrying out their own searches on 'difficult' terrain after the nearby River Dyfi went into flood.

Police sad: 'We are extremely concerned about large numbers of members of the public going into what I’ve said are very challenging conditions.

'What I am asking is notwithstanding the great support and the commitment that people want to show in helping us to find April, can we please leave this now to the trained and skilled people that we have.'

April's parents, Paul and Coral Jones appealed to the kidnapper saying: 'Last night our lives were shattered when our beautiful little girl April, who was playing with friends, was taken from us.

'We are devastated and our lives have stopped. Please, please, if you have our little girl let her come home to us.

'This is such a small, close-knit community and we plead with anyone who has any information, no matter how small they may think it is, to contact the police immediately. Please help us to bring home our beautiful little girl.'

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