A CRAWLEY couple are among six people charged after a young child was "kidnapped at knifepoint".

The child was rescued last week after being found in a car which was forced to stop by armed police on the M1 near Milton Keynes.

Officers from North Wales Police responded to reports of a knifepoint abduction of a young child in Anglesey at 4pm on November 4.

The eight-year-old had been bundled into a car, a national newspaper reported, and police launched enquiries to find them.

Three armed police vehicles surrounded a silver Citroen Picasso with false number plates and forced it to stop on the M1, about 200 miles away from the original incident, just hours later.

The Argus:

The child was recovered, safe and unharmed.

Four people were arrested at the scene, and a further two were later detained in Wales in connection with the kidnapping.

Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Evans of North Wales Police said: “This has been a frightening incident for those involved.

“Our focus throughout has been to recover the child safe and well.

“I am happy to report that this was achieved and I would like to thank our colleagues in Northamptonshire for their swift assistance.

“Six adults who were arrested in connection with the incident have all been charged with kidnap.

“One of them has also been charged with possession of a bladed article.”

All six appeared at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

The Argus:

Among them were husband and wife Edward Stevenson, 68, and Janet Stevenson, 66, of Parnell Close in Crawley.

The pair face kidnap charges.

Dr Anke Hill, 51, of Cae Glasin Llanfaethlu, Jane Going-Hill, 59, of Pump Street in Holyhead and her partner Robert Frith, 65, of Ty’n Parc in Holyhead have also been charged with kidnap.

Wilfred Wong, 55, of Galen Place in Camden, London, has been charged with kidnap as well as possession of a bladed article.

The six defendants were all remanded in custody by District Judge Gwyn Jones to appear at Caernarfon Crown Court on December 7.

Dr Anke Hill and Jane Going-Hill have indicated that they will be pleading guilty, the North Wales Chronicle has reported.

Northants Police Armed Response Vehicle (ARV) unit has shared footage of the moment the silver car suspected of being used in the kidnap was stopped on the M1, with three force vehicles cornering it and forcing the driver to come to a halt.

A Northants ARV spokesman said: "A vehicle came through the county on the M1 (on November 4).

"It was identified as (being) involved in a serious incident in North Wales.

"ARVs located it and used a tactical pursuit and containment three car box to safely stop it.

"Four suspects were arrested from within and the stop resulted in the safeguarding of the victim too."