Shannon Matthews was forced to follow this chilling list of rules during her 24 days of captivity during fake kidnap
A TERRIFYING list of rules including commands to not make any noise and never go near the windows that nine-year-old Shannon Matthews was forced to obey has been revealed.
The little girl was kept in horrific conditions for 24 days after being used in an elaborate plot orchestrated by her mother and accomplice Michael Donovan to share in £50,00 in reward money.
The handwritten note, headed "Rules" and signed off I.P.U, short for "I Promise You", included strict instructions to keep quiet, stating: "You must not make any noise or bang your feet" as well as "you must not go near the windows".
Other rules included: "you must not get anything or do anything without me been here", while the young school girl was also warned to keep the TV volume low.
The youngster was kept quiet while the nation desperately searched for her after she went missing on her way home from a swimming lesson at Westmoor primary school in 2008.
Hundreds of neighbours joined the search that cost West Yorkshire Police £3.2million and lasted 24 days.
The nine-year-old was ultimately found tethered and drugged inside the base of a double bed at relative Michael Donovan’s grotty flat almost a month after she disappeared.
It later emerged Karen Matthews, Shannon’s mum, who was going out with Donovan’s nephew Craig Meehan at the time, had devised the elaborate plot with her accomplice in a bid to claim the £50,000 reward money for finding Shannon.
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Her mother had been seen pleading on TV for the little girl's safe return as West Yorkshire Police spent about £3.2million to find her safe.
They had planned to release the schoolgirl, ‘discover her’ then take her to a police station and claim the reward before splitting.
Karen Matthews was dubbed ‘the most hated mum in Britain’ for the crime.
Following the horrific ordeal Shannon was taken off Karen and placed in the care of her local authority after the trial.
She was given a new identity and is now living with a new family.
Her best friend Callie hasn’t seen her since.
Speaking about her friend on This Morning, she said: “She was a quiet girl. She was nice, and kind, and caring. She was friends with everyone at quite popular at school at the time.
When is The Moorside next on BBC and what is it about?
Episode two of The Moorside will air on Tuesday 14 February at 9pm.
For anyone who missed the first part of the show, you can catch up now using BBC's iPlayer.
The Moorside retells the story of the manhunt from the perspective of the friends of Karen Matthews.
Sheridan Smith plays neighbour Julie Bushby, the chair of the Moorside residents and tenants association that helped trace Shannon.
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