The search for missing Welsh toddler, April Jones has been extended now into the mountains of the nearby Snowdonia National Park. Hundreds of volunteers local to the town of Machynlleth have joined the fire service and the Dyfed-Powys police, who've also sent up two helicopters as part of the search.

The five-year-old was playing near her home with friends last night when she was spotted by another child at about 7pm 'willingly' – according to police - getting into a 'light coloured van' that drove off. There was nothing to suggest there was a struggle and police still fear she's been abducted. In a press conference this morning, a detective said April got into the driver's side of the van which may have been a Land Rover or Ford Connect-type vehicle and that it could have been a left-hand drive.

They also have a 'very early' description of the suspect but that the police weren't comfortable to release it at this stage. He also talked about the difficulty of getting accurate information from the young friends who were with April at the time she disappeared.

April was wearing a purple coat with a fur hood, a white polo top and black trousers and police are urging anyone who knows anything to call them on a dedicated hotline 0300 2000 333