Missing Five-Year-Old May Have Been Abducted

Video: Locals Help In Search For April

Enlarge

The search for missing April Jones is being conducted in the small market town of Machynlleth, which has a population of 2,000.

Video: Market Town At Centre Of Search

Enlarge

• Email

A five-year-old girl is believed to have been abducted near her home after she was spotted getting into a van that then drove off.

April Jones was playing with friends in the Mid Wales town of Machynlleth at around 7.30pm on Monday when she went missing.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed her disappearance on its Twitter account.

At 10.40pm the force posted a statement saying: "We are increasingly concerned for a missing five year old, April, who was last seen playing on her bike in Machynlleth at about 19:30hrs.

"April was seen getting into a light coloured van that drove off."

Machynlleth is a small market town surrounded by countryside

Local restaurant owner Razul Islam said many people in the town were out searching for April.

"There are hundreds of people out looking for her," Mr Islam told Sky News.

"It is such a small town and nearly everyone is out looking for her - I'm shocked that it has happened in a town like this."

Local petrol station owner Nerys Zjalic said she reopened her garage to help with the search.

Hundreds of locals volunteered in the search through the night

"My friend called to ask if we would open so people can get petrol to help in the search. Locals are out in full force searching for her."

Ms Zjalic, who knows the missing girl's family, said people had been coming from far and wide to help with the search.

"It's unbelievable - you just don't think that something like that would happen in a small town like Machynlleth.

April was last seen getting into a van

"Nothing will be the same again - this is a small little market town and you think children are quite safe, but this shows us it's not the case."

Chris Dudley, who works at the Skinners Arms on Penrallt Street, said the pub was empty after many of the locals joining the search.

"All the locals are looking for her in this area - the cemeteries, the golf field, playing field, everywhere you can think of. Police are still looking."

Police have asked anyone with information to call them on 101.