A senior police officer in the inquiry broke the news on Sunday evening after addressing around 20 community leaders at St John's Church in Dewsbury.

Police also denied suggestions from some people in Dewsabury that they had ignored tip-offs about Shannon's whereabouts.

Chief Supt Barry South said: "Shannon is safe and she is well. She is working with people who are used to dealing with these sensitive inquiries."

He added: "It's highly unlikely that she is coming home today.

"I won't make that decision and Det Supt Andy Brennan won't make that decision.

"The decision will be made by the people who are working with her."

After a dramatic 24-day disappearance, the nine-year-old girl was eventually discovered less than one mile from her home.

Shannon's mother Karen Matthews, 32, said she understood that police needed time to talk to her daughter and establish what had happened to her over the past three and a half weeks.

She said in a statement: "I fully understand that the police need to keep speaking to Shannon to establish exactly what has happened during the time that she has been missing.

"I appreciate that could take some time and is not something that is going to happen overnight."

Mrs Matthews said she was content that her daughter was in good hands.

"The most important thing is that Shannon is safe," she said.

"I have seen Shannon and I am completely happy that she is being very well looked after and is being given all the care she needs."

She added: "Of course I want her back with us as soon as that's possible but I understand that could take some time.

"When she does come home I want it to be for good. Our main priority is Shannon's welfare."

Mrs Matthews also expressed her thanks for the support from the media and the community in the search for Shannon.

But she said the family now needed privacy and that the schoolgirl needed to be protected from the "massive amount of interest" surrounding her.

"When we do get Shannon back home with us we will plan a bit of a party to welcome her home and we will be involving all the community in that to thank them for all their support."

Michael Donovan, 39, formerly known as Paul Drake, is continuing to be held by police today after they were granted more time to question him by magistrates last night.

Donovan, the uncle of Shannon's stepfather Craig Meehan, was arrested on suspicion of Shannon's abduction on Friday when police raided a flat and discovered the girl in the base of a bed.

Specially trained officers have been speaking to Shannon for the last two days.

The youngster has been made the subject of an emergency police protection order, which will be in place "as long as is necessary," a police spokesman said.

Reverend Kathy Robertson, of the Dewsbury Team Parish, said Mrs Matthews and Mr Meehan, 22, were looking forward to having their daughter back home.

"They are really good and really relieved that Shannon has been found alive and well," she said.

"They are looking forward to having her in their own home."

The reverend said the atmosphere in the house was one of "anticipation".

She added: "Anyone in that situation would just want to take their child in their arms again."

The Westmoor Junior School pupil disappeared after going on a school trip to a swimming pool on February 19.

Police defended the force from suggestions they had been slow at finding the schoolgirl.

Chief Supt South blasted those who have claimed police had ignored earlier tip-offs about Shannon's presence in a Batley Carr flat.

He said: "Let me put on notice that had we known at any time the whereabouts of Shannon, we would have been there within seconds.

"These people are now coming out of the woodwork."

He said he had reassured councillors and members of the tenants association that police had done all they could to find the missing schoolgirl.