OVERJOYED mum Marian Grenham spoke today of the moment her ab-ducted two-year-old daughter was ret-urned home safe and well.

Auburn-haired Lois suffered a kidnap ordeal of nearly four hours after she was taken from her front garden.

As a major search was launched Marian became hysterical.

Yesterday, cradling her daughter in her arms, Marian said when Lois was finally brought home she thought she would never let her go.

She said: "I just could not let her out of my arms.

"She was clinging to me and I was sobbing all over her."

Search

Lois, who will be three in December, was abducted outside her home and taken by bus to Brighton seafront.

A massive search by police and neighbours ended happily when she was discovered in Marine Drive, as revealed in last night's Argus.

Two 12-year-old girls, one from Hove and the other from Brighton, were arr-ested at nearby Brighton Marina on suspicion of child abduction.

Safely back at home yesterday Lois could hardly stop hugging her tearful mum. Talking of her ordeal she said: "I was on my own. I cried. Then a policeman gave me back to my mummy. I'm happy now."

Lois's parents told the Argus of their nightmare wait.

Marian, 36, had been keeping watch on her daughter but at 1pm on Thursday she suddenly disappeared.

Marian began to panic. She said: "I couldn't see her anywhere. I became hysterical. I frantically searched the area, ran to the shops and ran back again. My heart sank."

Her partner Tim Polley, a 35-year-old systems engineer and father of Lois and her sister, Esme, four, drove off in his car to search the streets.

At 1.20pm desperate Marian dialled 999. She said: "Police were there in seconds. They were brilliant. Everywhere I looked I could see officers searching. The force helicopter was hovering above."

For the next three-and-a-half hours the family suffered.

Marian said: "Esme was asking, 'Why are the police here?' and I had to tell her they were looking for her sister. We both cried and hugged each other."

The case of kidnap and murder victim Jamie Bulger kept

flashing through Marian's mind as half the neighbourhood joined the hunt.

At 3.45pm, nearly four hours after Lois disappeared, the telephone rang.

It was a policeman telling Marian: "We think we have found Lois."

Marian flopped into a chair: "I just broke down and started crying. I felt sick."

It took police 20 minutes to drive Lois home. An officer carried the girl in his arms and handed her over to Tim.

He said: "I was utterly shocked and just so pleased to see her."

Shocked

Marian and Lois went to the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital for a check-up and returned after the two-year-old was given the all-clear.

Marian said: "I just want to give a big thank you to the neighbours and police. They were brilliant and so kind.

"You are told not to keep your children indoors and not to let them watch too much television, that they should be outside and that it is good for their development.

"Lois is a lively, lovely girl, very friendly, sociable, enthusiastic and full of life.

"She talks very well for her age and loves playing outside.

"But I just can't ever let my children out of my sight again. It will take me ages to get over this."

Police are asking anyone who saw Lois, dressed in blue-purple jogging bottoms and matching jumper, to contact Det Con Jo Wainwright on 01273 665539.

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