New pictures of Shannon released

Police have released new pictures of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews, a week after she went missing in West Yorkshire.

Shannon was last seen leaving her school last Tuesday to walk 400m to her Dewsbury home after a swimming lesson.

It's very rare for a child to go missing for this long, and lots of police are searching for her.

On Tuesday night, Shannon's friends and neighbours held a special vigil later to mark one week since she disappeared.

See the pictures

Holding colourful balloons, they walked from the local community centre in Dewsbury Moor to Shannon's home.

A banner has also been strung across her house to try to encourage her to come home.

Shannon and her friends got a bus back from their swimming trip

The new pictures released by police show Shannon on her birthday last September, and the coach that returned her and her classmates from their swimming lesson.

It's important to remember that incidents like this are very rare.

Some of Shannon's friends think she may have run away because she wanted to see her dad, who had split up from her mum a few years ago.

Her dad thinks she may have been trying to get to his home in nearby Huddersfield.

Running away Running away doesn't change your problems and can be dangerous and frightening Get help with your problems from the web, try any of the links on the right hand side of this page Call this free helpline 0808 800 7070 or email runawayhelpline@ missingpeople.org.uk

Police have said Shannon was wearing a black school jumper, a white cotton T-shirt, black trousers and a black, waist-length coat with fur round the hood when she disappeared.

She had black and pink Bratz boots on.

She is described as white, around 4ft 1in and slim, with shoulder-length, medium-brown hair, which was possibly tied up in a ponytail. She has blue eyes and freckles.

If anyone has any information about Shannon, they should call the Runaway helpline which is free on 0808 800 7070.