Welcoming the safe discovery of the nine-year-old, Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood tabled a parliamentary motion congratulating West Yorkshire Police and paying tribute to the hundreds of individual officers and staff who worked for more than three weeks round the clock to find Shannon.

Mr Wood, whose constituency includes Shannon's home, said: "This has clearly been an extensive and complicated inquiry that has needed vast amounts of resources, time and sensitivity.

"Senior officers have directed the investigation well and spared no resource while the rank and file officers and staff have devoted energy and often their own time to finding Shannon.

"West Yorkshire Police have been criticised for a host of different things by people far removed from the reality and complexities of the situation in Dewsbury Moor.

"But we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the local police have searched 3,000 houses and 360 acres of land and water and spoken to more than 6,000 people, as well as dealing with a complex network of extended family members.

"Most importantly, Shannon has been found, she is apparently safe and well and a suspect has been caught and charged. This sort of outcome in cases like these is virtually unheard of.

"This is a rare but extremely welcome conclusion and the officers and staff of West Yorkshire Police deserve our praise. I hope my parliamentary motion will allow Members of Parliament on all sides to echo this."

Mr Wood's Early Day Motion, a message to government attracting support from other MPs, states:"That this House welcomes the discovery, apparently safe and well, of nine-year-old Shannon Matthews after more than three weeks missing from home in Dewsbury Moor; congratulates West Yorkshire Police for the way in which they have handled a complex and sensitive case; and pays tribute to the dedication and hard work of local police officers for the hours and the energy they have devoted to the investigation."