April Jones: Parents meet search teams in Machynlleth

A police team search land near Machynlleth

The parents of missing April Jones have met some of the search teams who are looking for their five-year-old daughter.

Coral and Paul Jones visited the search base in Machynlleth, Powys, and have expressed their gratitude for the work being done.

April was last seen playing near her home in the town 10 days ago.

Mark Bridger of Machynlleth is charged with murder, abduction and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The 46-year-old appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court on Wednesday via video link and was remanded in custody.

On the same day, April's parents visited the specialist police search base at Y Plas community hall in Machynlleth.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the pair met some of the people trying to find their daughter and were "extremely grateful" for all of the work that was being done.

Meanwhile, Supt Ian John, who is leading the search, said the hunt for April would continue as long as the force still had "viable lines of inquiry".

He added that motivation remained high among those searching for her.

"I have spent time today speaking with the various search teams and one thing that shone through was their on-going commitment to find April and their motivation," he said.

"We have to make people take time off to rest between their allocated shifts.

"The coastguard is searching the river from Borth to Towyn every day and the underwater search teams are at the estuary daily.

April Jones was last seen outside her home in Machynlleth, Powys

"We are all working through a detailed search plan."

He said that volunteers were doing all they could to help the search teams.

"Although volunteers are no longer able to assist us with the search, they are providing a catering service for search teams, which is very gratefully received," he said.

"Their desire to stay involved and do what they can to help is a credit to the community and neighbouring areas.

"They are contributing to the operation in whatever way they can.

"This includes donating a variety of items from their time to prepare and serve food to providing gloves and batteries."

On Tuesday Supt John said if April was at a location where she could be found, he was confident officers would find her.

"We've got 18 police search teams here from all over the UK, specialist search teams with a variety of different skills and equipment," he said.

"We also still have the RAF mountain rescue team here, and we also have search and rescue teams from south Wales specialist search unit... detailed, methodical searches that are continuing within the town and the environment around Machynlleth."