The Moorside

There is jubilation on the estate when Shannon is found with Mick Donovan, Karen's boyfriend's uncle, who initially claims to have taken the little girl to Blackpool but later confesses to the police that Karen forced him to hide Shannon so that they could share the reward money. However, Karen denies everything and Julie, unlike Natalie, believes her--until she decides to get the truth from Karen herself. In court both abductors are sentenced, though Julie attempts to mitigate on Karen's behalf; after the trial, Natalie and Julie, who have fallen out over the matter, reinstate their friendship.

In February 2008 on the Moorside estate in West Yorkshire, Karen Matthews reports the disappearance of her 9-year-old daughter Shannon. Karen's friends, largely single mothers like herself, led by outspoken Julie Bushby, rally round, organizing search parties, along with Christine Freeman and other police officers. While Christine prepares Karen for the worst, Julie is upbeat, launching a poster campaign and spear-heading a march as £20,000 twenty thousand are offered as a reward for Shannon's return. As Karen and her boyfriend Craig are offered money for a tabloid interview, Julie dissuades Craig from a suicide attempt but another friend, Natalie Brown, finds Karen's reactions suspect, and when Shannon is eventually found Julie realizes that Karen's doubts might not have been unfounded.