The mother of Shannon Matthews said today that she understood why she has not yet been properly reunited with her daughter.

The 9-year-old was found hidden in the base of a divan bed less than a mile from her home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on Friday after disappearing for 24 days. A 39-year-old man, Michael Donovan, has been arrested on suspicion of abduction and is being questioned.

Shannon is the subject of an emergency police protection order and is being cared for by foster parents while police try to untangle the mystery of her disappearance. She has seen her mother briefly, but has not yet been allowed home.

In a statement released today through West Yorkshire police, Karen Matthews said she understood that her daughter could be away from home "for some time".

The 32-year-old mother of seven said: “I wanted to say something as I know that people in the community and the media are wondering when Shannon will be able to come back home to be with us.

“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 satisified 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.

She added: “When we do get Shannon back home with us we will plan a bit of party to welcome her home and we will be involving the community to thank them for all their support.”

Last night, police were granted more time to question Mr Donovan, formerly known as Paul Drake. Mr Donovan, the uncle of Shannon’s stepfather Craig Meehan, appeared before magistrates last night who granted detectives the warrant of further detention.

Mrs Matthews and Mr Meehan, 22, arrived back at their home in Moorside Road in Dewsbury last night and were met by cheering friends and family at their door. Shannon's disappearance had made national headlines and prompted the West Yorkshire force's biggest inquiry since the Yorkshire Ripper investigation in the late 1970s.

The Rev Kathy Robertson, of the Dewsbury Team Parish, said that the pair 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 after visiting their home this morning. “They are looking forward to having her in their own home.”

Ms Robertson said that 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.”

Yesterday police said that Shannon was “on the road to recovery” and had been watching DVDs and playing with a kitten.

The force also rebuffed criticism of the time it took them to find Shannon so close to her family home. One senior police source said there were “literally hundreds of people” in a “huge family network”.

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