An emotional teenager has described her joy at returning home after running away.
Shantel Summerfield returned to her cottage in Oakley Road, Wix, late on Tuesday after a nationwide search to find her.
She had been staying in Northern Ireland with her penfriend, Derek, 19, after meeting him through a Teletext message board.
Their relationship had developed and she ran away to be with him.
But Shantel's family, including mother, Linda, and brothers, Jason and Robert, then went through a living nightmare, not even knowing for a week if Shantel was dead or alive.
The 16-year-old had a simple message to her loving relatives.
"I just want to say I'm sorry for all that's gone on," she said.
"I'm pleased to be back. It was so nice to see my mum again."
Shantel went missing on July 22 after leaving her aunt's home in Great Oakley.
Her disappearance sparked a nationwide search, with newspapers, radio and television covering the story.
She had no idea that she had caused such problems, only realising the extent of the issue when it was reported on Irish television.
Published Thursday August 12, 2004
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