A WEBSITE has been launched to keep the appeal for information about missing Dewsbury Moor schoolgirl Shannon Matthews in the public eye.

The website, www.helpfindshannon.org.uk , was launched yesterday. It has been created following efforts by Dewsbury West Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder – a Government scheme which involves the community in improving services – and members of the Moorside Tenants and Residents Association, who have been helping to search for Shannon and distributing leaflets and posters appealing for information about the youngster.

Lee Wood, neighbourhood officer for Pathfinder, said: “The idea of having a website was both ours and residents from Moorside.

“We want the website to raise the profile of the inquiry. We have been working closely with Julie Bushby, chair of Moorside TRA, who has liaised with Shannon’s family. We’ve also worked with West Yorkshire police.”

The website includes details about Shannon and pictures of her, along with updates about what the community is doing to help find her.

There is also a link to the West Yorkshire Police website, where details of what is happening with the police inquiry can be found.

There is also a section about the newly-created Shannon Matthews Appeal fund, which has been set up as a charity through Voluntary Action Kirklees. An anonymous donor has already pledged £10,000 to the fund.

Mr Wood said money donated to the fund would pay for crime prevention work in the area, looking after the welfare of the community and supporting local charities.

He said: “These aims read as being a little abstract, but they are designed to allow for supporting the community’s role in the search for Shannon, providing support to individuals and families affected by events and, in the event of funds no longer being needed, to use for the benefit of children and families on the estate.”

The website was designed for free by Jeff Grey, of Leeds company No Worries Marketing.

A reward totalling £50,000 has been put up for information about Shannon by The Sun newspaper. Originally, the paper offered £20,000 but has upped its offer.

Shannon was last seen on February 19 at 3.10pm at Westmoor Junior School, on Church Lane, where she had been dropped off with classmates following a school swimming trip.

Despite a search operation involving hundreds of police officers, there has been no sign of her since.

Shannon is 4ft 1ins and slim. She has blue eyes, freckles and shoulder-length medium brown hair, possibly tied in a ponytail. She was wearing a navy blue school jumper with a school logo on it, a white cotton T-shirt, black trousers and a black waist length coat with fur around the hood. Also she was wearing pink and grey “Bratz” boots.

Anyone with information should contact the police incident room on 01274 373737, text 07786 200 806 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.