A young girl abducted earlier today in Moate, has been found. The eight-year-old was found safe and well in Moate in County Westmeath. Gardaí say the girl managed to escape
from the car she was bundled into and was picked up by a passing motorist. No arrests have been made at this stage.
Earlier today, the schoolgirl, named locally as Mary Joyce, was seen screaming as a man dragged her into his sports car from a country lane in County Westmeath, just after she got off a school bus.
Soon afterwards, her parents, Paul and Kathleen Joyce, called gardaí when their daughter failed to return home from her school in Moate, Athlone.
Garda search teams have launched a major operation while several roads in the region have been sealed off.
Hundreds of officers are involved in the hunt and every available garda vehicle is scouring the area.
Mary, a pupil at the girls' National School in Moate, was spotted being dragged into a dark green Toyota Corolla with an OY (Offaly) registration by a man in his 30s, who was described as short with black hair. He was clean shaven and wearing what gardai describe as a baby-blue top.
Anyone with any information should contact the Gardaí in Athlone at 0902-92609.