Family, friends, neighbours, local businesses and community groups donated money into the Help Find Shannon Fund during the 24 days the nine-year-old was missing.

Since Shannon was found on March 14, many residents raised concerns about what happened to the official donations of 3,000 pounds - of which only 1,000 pounds remains.

Today six fund trustees and local community support group Pathfinders who managed the collection of the money met to discuss what they would do with the funds.
Roger O'Doherty of Pathfinder,said the decision was made to send a letter to every resident of the Moorside estate giving them three choices.

He said: "The problem with deciding what to do with the fund has been that much of it had come from non-traceable donations. A lot of it came in tins and can't be traced back to the people who gave it.
"Those who made a traceable donation will be given the choice of getting itback or leaving it in the pool which will be spent on the residents of the estate."

A neighbour from Moorside Road, said three options that will be sent to residents this week by letter, are designed to make sure the money goes back into the hands of the people who coughed up during the hunt for the kidnapped girl.

The trustees and Pathfinders will give the option to buy computers for the local community centre, to donate it to a local charity, or to give it to a school on the estate.