Custody row mother found

Lindsey Meadows (left) has vowed to fight for custody

A mother and her four-year-old daughter who went missing after the father was given custody of the girl have been found by police.

Emily Werb and her mother, Lindsey Meadows, along with Ms Meadows' other three daughters, had been on the run for more than two months.

The family were discovered at an address in Brentwood, Essex, on Wednesday.

In May, a court granted Ms Meadows' former partner, Keith Werb, 50, residence of Emily.

It's not easy at all running away from family and friends

Lindsey Meadows

Mr Werb was granted custody after Ms Meadows, 40, from Colchester, Essex, repeatedly denied him access to Emily.

That decision was upheld at the Court of Appeal on 17 May this year.

Shortly after the judgment, Ms Meadows disappeared from her home with Emily and her three other daughters from another relationship, aged nine, 11, and 12.

Earlier this week, Ms Meadows spoke to BBC Radio Five Live in an interview that was broadcast just hours before she was found.

'No choice'

In it she said: "It's not easy at all running away from family and friends.

"But at the same time I feel like I've got no choice because if I'd have stayed in Colchester my daughter would have been dragged away from me by police."

Ms Meadows has appealed for further court hearings in her attempt to regain custody of Emily.

An Essex police spokesman said on Wednesday: "[Ms Meadows and her children] will be returned to Colchester and it's anticipated that any further development in this case will be a civil matter."