Yesterday morning, before the news broke, the Yorkshire Post was in Dewsbury Moor speaking to Julie Bushby, a friend of the schoolgirl's mother Karen Matthews and community worker, who had just finished preparing fresh appeal posters. She was in a determined mood.

Asked what she thought had happened to Shannon, she said: "If we started thinking about that we might as well pack up now. We have got to be thinking positive all the time."

She described herself as a "rottweiler" when it came to defending the community and protecting Shannon's mother and stepfather, Craig Meehan.

"Craig and Karen, they won't stand up to people – but I will. Some people might have accused Craig of things but nobody on the estate has."

Shortly after the interview rumours began spreading that Shannon had been found.

At her house in Moorside Road friends and family were quietly celebrating together, just minutes after police had called to pick up Mrs Matthews and Mr Meehan.

In the street cans of lager and bottles of wine had already been broken out and children returning from school began dancing, some with tears in their eyes.

But some people still refused to believe she was really alive.

"As soon as Craig and Karen pull up in the car with their princess, I will talk to you," said one woman.

Another resident, Charlotte Thornton, 49, admitted: "I had suspicions that she was dead. I am just so happy, so chuffed. I just shouted 'yeah!' "

Eight-year-old Callie Brown, who is in the same class as Shannon, was being hugged by her father in Moorside Road.

Callie said: "We all had to go into the hall for an assembly. I was crying my eyes out. I'm going to give these 22 letters to her from her friends. I have missed her loads."

Her father Peter Brown, who was with Mrs Matthews when the news came through, said: "She's in shock. She just froze. She and Craig were both shaking. It's the most fantastic news ever. A police car came and took them away. I was crying big time; I was overwhelmed."

Victoria Saunders, 28, a cousin of Mrs Matthews, said: "I'm feeling huge relief. I'm really happy and excited. I haven't been sleeping since she went, but I'm just so happy now."

Shannon's schoolmates were crying and hugging each other as they returned home in the afternoon.

Nine-year-old Zoe Judge heard that Shannon was safe during school assembly. She said pupils at Westmoor junior school started crying when the headteacher said Shannon was alive.

"She said that Shannon has been found safe and well and that's all we needed to know and we should be happy."

Zoe was celebrating outside the community centre in Dewsbury Moor with her eight-year-old sister Allyce Judge and her mother Anouska Haldenby, 32.

Among those celebrating was Shannon's uncle, Neil Hyett, 36, who said he was looking forward to opening a bottle of Southern Comfort.

"It was me who phoned her dad, Leon. He couldn't believe it; like me he was nearly crying."

One household wrote Welcome Back Shannon on a white sheet, added their signatures and hung it on the front of their house in Moorside Road.

Leon Rose, Shannon's father, was ecstatic, saying that being reunited with her would be like winning the Lottery.

He thanked everyone who had helped in the 24-day search.

"I did say on the news I wasn't going to give up until she was found," he said. "I've kept going, and every day I went out there as much as I could. At the moment I'm just buzzing because they have found her.

"Believe it or not where she's been found I'd actually been in that area a number of times and probably just walked straight past the house that she were in – because I were looking in fields and stuff like."

He added: "Half the time (I was) just driving about, just hoping to see her walking about."

"Absolutely amazing news" was how family friend Petra Jamieson, 30, summed up the reaction of the community.

She first heard it while sitting chatting with her neighbour Karen Matthews: "Karen and Craig were in the living room and we were all ushered out when the call came in. We listened at the door – we heard the words 'safe and well' and all 10 of us burst out cheering.

"Everyone wants to see Shannon, to cuddle her, to just jab her in the shoulder and make sure it's her. But we will have to back off as she's going to be a frightened little girl."

The mother-of-four said Mrs Matthews was overcome with emotion after police had confirmed her "princess" was safe.

"She was walking around with the biggest grin ever and she winked at everyone as if to say 'I'm off to get my princess'."

Last night Bishop of Wakefield Stephen Platten expressed his joy. He praised the courage of the people of Dewsbury Moor and their refusal to give up hope and also "the hard work and sheer determination" of the police.