Detectives were last night trying to unravel the mystery of what happened to nine-year-old Shannon Matthews between her disappearance 24 days ago and her dramatic rescue yesterday.
Police discovered her hidden in the base of a divan bed after breaking into a flat about a mile from her home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
Neighbours said they saw the child being carried out of a house in the neighbouring Batley Carr area by a plain clothes policeman and a man being dragged away by police. Shannon looked "quite calm" according to neighbours.
Last night a 39-year-old man, named by sources as Mick Donovan, formerly known as Paul Drake, and reported to be a member of the girl's extended family, was under arrest, suspected of her abduction. A car believed to belong to him was removed from the house where Shannon was found.
The schoolgirl was made the subject of an Emergency Police Protection Order.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "As part of our ongoing inquiries, and following medical checks, West Yorkshire Police will begin the process of interviewing Shannon.
"This may be a long process but throughout this inquiry our main focus has been and continues to be Shannon's welfare.
"We have therefore taken the decision that, for now, it is in Shannon's best interests that she be made subject of an Emergency Police Protection Order.
"This will remain in place until we have had time to establish the full facts of what happened in the time since her disappearance."
Shannon's father, Leon Rose, said: "They just told me she was alive and she was well, and that's all I know at the moment, but that's good enough because I'm just over the moon."
Shannon's mother, Karen Matthews, was said to be "in shock" after her daughter was found alive and well.
The child's uncle, Neil Hyett, said the child and her mother had been reunited at Dewsbury police station.
A celebration was held last night outside the child's home. Scores of neighbours gathered, setting up disco lights, letting off fireworks and cracking open bottles. A huge banner saying "Welcome back, Shannon" was draped across the street as the crowd tore up the leaflets printed appealing for help to find the youngster.
West Yorkshire Police reportedly went to the flat where she was found after receiving tip-offs from a neighbour and the charity Missing People.
A neighbour, Christopher Heaps, said that he went out into the street after hearing police break down the door of a property in Batley Carr at about 12.30pm.
"About five minutes after that a policeman came out with a girl under his arms," Mr Heaps said. "I just said to the policeman, Is that Shannon?', and he said, Yeah, this is Shannon'. She was calm and placid."
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