A MOTHER at the centre of a nationwide missing family search has broken her silence.

Mrs Eileen Dawkins - reported missing with her daughter and two other youngsters - has revealed she is in hiding.

In an exclusive interview with the Examiner she revealed that the three girls are safe and well and staying with relatives.

Mrs Dawkins, 23, vanished from her Elland home this week after Calderdale Social Services began legal moves to take the three children into temporary care.

It is believed the action was being taken as serious allegations have been made against Mrs Dawkins, who is eight months pregnant. But today she denied any allegations that she had been involved with drugs.

She said she wanted to keep the family together while inquiries were made.

"We want to live a normal life as a family," she added.

"The children got very scared when social services came to the house and their schools. They feared terrible things would happen.

"People have said I have been selling drugs, including cocaine. None of that is true, but social services wanted to take away the girls while the allegations were investigated.

"People have made a lot of false allegations and I simply want to keep my kids together."

Mrs Dawkins is mother to two-year-old Portia and stepmother to Isha, who is nine. She is the sister-in-law of Amanda Jeffrey, who is 13.

Her husband, Vasal Dawkins, returned to his home in Jamaica in January having spent four years in Britain.

Allegations have also been made against him, but Mrs Dawkins insisted none were true.

She said the girls were taken to a relative's home in London, but were moved to another house by family members.

"I wanted to do everything through the proper channels, like the courts, but they would not listen to me.

Mrs Dawkins added: "I have another date in court next Wednesday and I am determined to put my side of the case.

"The authorities knew I was at my home in Elland until Monday of this week and made no attempt to question me.

"I have given them assurances that the children are safe, but social services still want to get their hands on them.

"They say members of our family are very anxious, but that is not true. People know the girls are safe.

"I will stay in hiding until it is sorted out. Our relatives don't want to see the family split up, but we cannot put up with all the harassment we are getting.

"The girls mean everything to me".

Calderdale Social Services officials have obtained interim care orders through a court to take the girls into care.

West Yorkshire Police have also been told the girls are missing and have searched the family home in Elland.

A Calderdale spokesman said: "The council is acting in the best interests of the missing children, who are the subject of interim care orders granted by the courts.

"Social services continue to be extremely concerned about the whereabouts and the safety of these children.

"We would appeal to anyone knowing their whereabouts to phone the council on 01422 393884 or the police on 01422 337059."