Manchester Sisters 'Found Safe And Well'

The mother of two sisters who went missing in Manchester has claimed a third girl told them they had permission to stay out overnight.

Annette Boyd claimed the 14-year-old girl told the girls their mother said they could spend the night at another house.

She told Sky News: "The 14-year-old girl told them she'd phoned me and I said that they could stay out. They thought they were having a sleepover, like kids do, watching DVDs.

"She's with the police now, they're sorting her out. She's nothing to do with me. My kids won't be in contact with her again."

Mrs Boyd described the moment she realised her daughters were missing: "They went to the park and I told them to be in by 9pm. They didn't come home at 9pm and I went out looking for them but I couldn't find them. That's when the police were alerted."

The girls' mother explained how she "fell to the floor" with relief when she heard they were safe and well.

She said: "When the police said they found them I thought they were going to say 'bodies', but they said they found them safe and well. The girls were very, very upset as they didn't realise I was upset.

"When they got home they were cuddled and given a bath and they've been put in their pyjamas."

The girls were found after police searching for Liana ,11, and eight-year-old Teigan spotted the third girl on the street. She led them to a derelict house in Manchester and revealed all three girls had spent the night there.

Officers had issued a nationwide appeal after sisters failed to return home from playing in Whitworth Park on Sunday evening.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) launched a massive hunt for the youngsters, which included a helicopter search and door-to-door enquiries.

At around 11.30am, the force confirmed the girls "have been found and are safe".

GMP's Chief Superintendent Rob Potts said: "Until we have fully spoken to everyone involved we will have nothing further to release on this matter.

"The most important thing is that the girls have been found safe and well.

"We understood that the sisters were with another missing girl, and officers were given descriptions of all three."

He praised the police involved in the search, adding that they "acted quickly".

"Liana and Teigan are safe and well, along with the 14-year-old girl who was also missing," he said.

"We are speaking to all three to fully establish what happened and will be continuing to work with partner agencies."

There have been no arrests in connection with the girls' disappearance.

The sisters and their parents live on Acomb Street, a few hundred yards from the entrance to Whitworth Park and a mile from Richmond Grove.

A local landlord told Sky's Nick Martin that the girls were "lovely".

"They were a little cheeky," he said.

"They are just like normal kids, running around - always playing football in the street."