Shannon Matthews' torment

Tormented Shannon Matthews is suffering nightmare hallucinations caused by her 24-day abduction.

The little girl is convinced she was taken on a day-trip to the seaside while she was being held.

She is now so disorientated that she believes people came to visit her while she was missing - although there is no actual evidence of it happening.

Heartbreakingly, Shannon has claimed she was taken to play by the sea, went swimming and even visited a market while she was in captivity.

The revelations shed new light on the appalling ordeal she endured and there are now fears she could have been sedated.

Now Shannon's grandmother June Matthews has vowed to fight for custody of her and her brothers and sisters to give them the stability they have so far lacked throughout their young lives.

Shannon is being looked after by a foster family who are helping her come to terms with her ordeal.

One of the recurring hallucinations she is suffering is that she was actually held captive by her father Leon Rose - the man she had begged to go and stay with before she disappeared.

She has been so disturbed that she hasn't even been able to tell police how many brothers and sisters she has and is confused about their ages.

A source close to the investigation said last night: "When Shannon was found and officers began gently questioning her about where she'd been and who she'd been with, they got what they considered to be bizarre answers to some questions.

"For a long time she told them she had been with her natural father, Leon Rose. She told them: 'I've been with my dad. Not Craig (Craig Meehan, her stepdad), my real dad.'

"It gave the police a real problem because they became satisfied that these weren't tall stories but that Shannon genuinely believed that she was telling them the truth.

"She has also told them that she has been on a day trip. She has recalled very vividly going to a market and to the seaside.

"Her descriptions have been very detailed, but she is in such a fragile state, the images may well be hallucinatory.

"She has also not been able to tell the police how many brothers and sisters she has and she is convinced that her younger sister Kelly is older than her."

Experts and social workers, who have been questioning Shannon for only 15 minutes at a time, are considering three theories, the source said.

"The first is that they are being caused by the trauma of the alleged abduction and imprisonment.

"The second is that Shannon has suffered from a severe trauma in the past which is now manifesting itself as a result of the abduction ... that the abduction somehow triggered an old trauma which had been lying dormant in her mind. The third theory is that the hallucinations are being caused by her being sedated during her time at her uncle's house.

"Experts have been consulted as to whether any drug could continue to have this kind of effect on her.

"In such a situation, it would be normal for blood samples to have been taken and analysed."

Yesterday her worried grandmother told the Sunday Mirror: "What Shannon needs now is love, stability and care - and so do the other kids.

"It's clearly left her very unsettled - she needs love and she'll get that here. We have had all of those kiddies living with us at one point or another.

"Before Shannon went missing we would see them everyday.

"We are incredibly close and they love coming here.

"We are sure they are being very well looked after at the minute, but they should really be with family after everything that has happened.

"And they should be allowed to stay together.

"We can't wait to see them - especially Shannon after everything she has gone through. I just hope some good can come out of this and they get the home they deserve. We are counting down the days until we will know for certain if they can come and live here."

June and husband Gordon visited a solicitor last week and were told there was "every chance" they will be able to give a home to Karen's seven children by six fathers.

Shannon has been staying with foster parents since she was found four weeks ago.

In a meeting with her mother - days before Karen was arrested for child neglect and perverting the course of justice - Shannon told her she did not want to go back home.

Karen's other children - aged 11, three and two - who were living with her at the time of Shannon's disappearance, have also been placed with foster parents.

Shannon vanished on her way home from school in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on February 19 and sparked one of the biggest man hunts in recent history.

Police rescued her after breaking down the door of her uncle Mike Donovan's home on March 14. He has been charged with abduction.

Shannon's stepfather Craig Meehan, whom she rowed with, was arrested on April 2 accused of having indecent images of children. None of the children in the pictures were Karen's.

Then last week, Karen herself was charged with wilfully neglecting or abandoning Shannon. She was also accused of perverting justice by repeatedly concealing information from police by claiming to have no knowledge of Shannon's whereabouts.

Yesterday Shannon's grandmother June Matthews said: "This is the worst possible nightmare.

"I am really worried about what has happened to my Shannon.

"I am so stressed I can't eat or sleep. I was crying in bed last night, so I can only imagine how terrible Shannon is feeling. But I am determined to stay strong."

"She needs to be around familiar people who will love her and care for her.

"I would take her in tomorrow if they would let me but we have to wait.

"All I want is my grandkids ... I just want them here and safe.