Missing Olly Sheridan: Mother's family raise legal costs

Ellie Yarrow-Sanders disappeared with her son Olly Sheridan, now aged three, in July

The family of a woman who disappeared with her three-year-old son has raised nearly £3,000 for legal costs.

Olly Sheridan has been missing from Basildon, Essex, with his mother Ellie Yarrow-Sanders, 26, since July, during a custody battle.

A funding page has been set up to help raise money for Miss Yarrow-Sanders' sister Maddie and mother Donna.

The page says they face prosecution as the High Court believes they may have hidden information.

A statement on the page says: "Donna and Maddie were recently in court with no representation against five other lawyers and barristers.

"This whole process is bankrupting the mother."

So far they have raised £2,970, while a petition calling for Miss Yarrow-Sanders' side of the argument to be more widely covered has been signed by 21,178 people.

Patrick Sheridan urged his estranged partner to "see sense"

Last week Olly's father, Patrick Sheridan, begged his estranged partner to let his son have a normal childhood, not a life "on the run".

But in a letter shared on social media by her sister, Miss Yarrow-Sanders said she had been warned by her solicitor "there is a strong possibility that Olly will be appointed a guardian by the court".

She said fleeing was "the only thing I could do for Olly to have any semblance of a childhood with his mum".

Last month, High Court judge Mr Justice Williams waived an anonymity ruling in an effort to aid the search for the pair.

The judge, who oversaw the hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, said he had "grave concerns" for Olly's welfare.

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Mr Sheridan, 45, said Christmas was "unbearable" and added: "Please, if any members of the public who might have seen Olly or have any information, call the police."

Mr Sheridan said Olly "needs both of his parents in his life"

Last week lawyers for Mr Sheridan said Miss Yarrow-Sanders had not used her bank accounts or mobile since disappearing with Olly.