Daniel's home!

Snatched toddler Daniel Grimshaw was reunited with his tearful mum in the early hours of today - more than two months after he was kidnapped.

The moment came shortly after 2am when leading members of Bradford's Asian community were led to the 16-month-old toddler standing alone on a Bradford street.

At a press conference today Amy, 18, clutched the youngster tightly to her and said: "It's the best feeling in the world holding my baby again - I'm never going to put him down.

"The past three months have been a nightmare for us but my Daniel's home now and it's like we've never been apart."

Fazal Hussain, MBE, received a call at home at midnight from a mystery man telling him to go to Great Horton Road to collect the youngster.

Daniel was then taken to Eccleshill Police station by Mr Hussain and two other members of a police- community liaison committee Raja Najabot Hussain and Rashid Ahmed Awan where the reunion took place.

Daniel, who was snatched from his pushchair in Hilary Road, Wrose, last November, was described as being "clean, healthy and well dressed but a bit tired".

Amy had been sprayed in the face with chemical before two men had snatched Daniel and bundled him into an awaiting car on November 9. Police believe he may have spent some time in Nottingham.

Mr Awan - an ex-policeman - said the reunion was the most emotional experience of his life. "Everyone was in tears - including me."

Clutching Daniel close to her chest Amy said she would now make plans to share a belated Christmas with the returned youngster.

At the press conference at Eccleshill police station Daniel, dressed in an England sweat shirt and black baseball cap slept peacefully until he was woken by the flashes of press cameras Amy thanked the police, media and all those who had helped in ensuring Daniel's safe return.

She said when the pair had been reunited, shortly after 2am this morning, Daniel's face had "lit up" when he first set eyes on his mother.

Amy said she had only been able to get through her two month ordeal with the support of her family but added: "I always knew I would get him back."

Meanwhile Chief Superintendent Stuart Hyde said: "I would like to send an invitation to Daniel's father who is thought to be in Pakistan.

"I would like him to be here so that I could speak to him."

Amy said she had been stunned by the reunion. She said: "Over the past two months I have not been able to eat or sleep properly. I would lay away at night just wondering where he was. At first I was angry about them taking Daniel from me when they had no right to do so."

But as the weeks dragged on she said this anger slowly turned into despair. "Now we're back together it's like we've never been apart. I've got loads of presents for him at home and I'm now going to go home and enjoy a late Christmas with him."

But Amy said the ordeal would have a lasting effect upon her, she said: "Every time I go out with Daniel I'm sure I will be a bit nervous and looking over my shoulder."

But for now Amy's nightmare is over and she can begin enjoying Daniel being back with her again.

No arrests were made and none are imminent, said police.

Det Chief Supt Stuart Hyde, who has been heading the investigation, said: "It was great moment for everyone involved. For Amy it was an emotional and tearful reunion."

He said there had been a great response from the public since Daniel's abduction featured on Crimewatch earlier this week. Det Chief Supt Hyde said he "had some idea" of who had been holding the youngster.

"A lot of the community were horrified by this case. There was a very good public response and there has been a lot of activity from the police and members of the community, particularly within the last 12 hours."

Moment I found Daniel

An ex-West Yorkshire policeman who helped lead Daniel Grimshaw back into the arms of his tearful mum today said it was the most moving experience of his life.

Rashid Awan, chairman of Bradford and District Ethnic Minorities Community and Police Liaison Committee, said he received a telephone call to community leader Fazal Hussain's house at midnignt.

"There were a number of telephone calls and the child was brought to a point in Great Horton Road where two other members of the community collected him. I do not believe he had ever been out of the country."

He said Daniel was brought back to Mr Hussain's home where he seemed happy, healthy and well clothed.

The negotiators rang the police and took Daniel to Eccleshill Police Station.

Mr Awan - who was the first Asian policeman in West Yorkshire and served from 1967 to 1991 - said: "Everyone was crying, including me."

He said Amy came into the room where Daniel was sitting on the knee of a member of the community.

"She shouted 'Oh Daniel' and ran across the room and picked him up. Daniel seemed shocked and bewildered. It was a happy ending. I have never in my life seen such a moving scene. This is a wonderful result."

Mr Awan, now an investigator with a loss adjustment company, said he had spoken to Chief Superintendent Stuart Hyde as he sought to locate Daniel and had seen the depression and concern on his face.

As Daniel was swept up into the arms of his mum, Chief Supt Hyde looked on in delight.

"I could tell he was over the moon that he had been found," Mr Awan said.

He said the community liaison forum had been set up in the wake of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry and it was an excellent example on how the police and community could work together with trust.

And he said he was delighted that its first major success should be in reuniting a mother with her child.

The ten weeks of agony

The reuniting of Daniel Grimshaw and his mum Amy was the end of a long and tortuous investigation for Bradford's police officers.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Hyde had led the investigation from the front, ensuring the case remained at the forefront of the public mind two months after the toddler had been snatched.

But it was a difficult case for the experienced officer.

There were no sightings of the toddler and no firm evidence to suggest he was either still in the country or living abroad.

Chief Superintendent Hyde has only seen a handful of kidnapping cases in his 16 years as an officer.

"Typical cases of child abduction normally involve both parents having rights to access, and some kind of civil custody battle.

"In the case of Daniel Grimshaw the father has no rights to the child."

During the hunt for Daniel, police believed the youngster may have been with his estranged father Murzhar Mahmood, who has been missing from his Eccleshill home since the abduction. Today they said they believed Daniel may not have had contact with his dad.

There have been repeated appeals for information, photographs circulated and inquiries made abroad. Today Daniel was returned into the arms of his mother.

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