Abduction suspect Mark Bridger's son joined in the search for missing schoolgirl April Jones before his father was arrested by police, it has emerged.
Detectives were on Wednesday night given an extra 12 hours to question Bridger about the disappearance of April, a Dyfed Powys Police spokesman said.
Earlier on Wednesday, his son Scott Williams said he had been estranged from his 46-year-old father for most of his life and only met him a couple of months before April, five, disappeared.
Scott, like many locals in the Machynlleth area, said he joined volunteers in a search for the youngster - and also spoke of how little contact he has had with his father.
Mark Bridger: the man arrested in connection with the disappearance of April Jones
In a brief interview with Sky News, the teenager said: "I have searched (for April) since she has gone missing.
"How has this affected my family? It's nothing to do with us really.
"He (my dad) has never been in my life.
"I have only met him on a couple of occasions like down the local pub - he's been there a couple of times that I've been there.
"But it was a shock when we heard it on the news that he'd been arrested."
Bridger has young daughters living yards from where April was snatched, and regularly played with them on Machynlleth's Bryn-y-Gog estate.
Bridger was arrested about two miles north of the town yesterday by a police patrol. He was on foot.
His car was later seized from a repair garage in the town.
April Jones has been missing since Monday
His two daughters live less than 200 yards from April's home, and two former partners both live on the estate.
April is known to have played out on her bicycle with the two girls who are believed to be aged seven and 10.
Both girls have a step-sister who is the same age as April who also regularly played with her.
Railway worker Glen Lewis, 50, described Mr Bridger's two daughters as "lovely, sweet girls" and said he often saw them playing on the estate.
He said it is well known they are Bridger's daughters and that his former partner is married and lives on the estate.
"She is married to my friend, I won't tell you his name, and they have a daughter of their own about the same age as April.
"The two daughters she had with Mark live with her and my friend and they are lovely children."
Bridger was walking in the direction of Machynlleth when he was detained by police
He added: "I know Mark vaguely. I think he came to Machynlleth about 15 years ago when the leisure centre opened and he was one of the lifeguards.
"Over the years I have seen him around and I've seen his Land Rover Discovery on the estate. He would come here to visit his daughters and would probably take them out in his car. He might have taken April too.
"I knew him as a bit of a ladies man."
He said another resident on the estate, who he preferred not to name, was also known to have been a former girlfriend.
Lewis said: "Mark Bridger could have gone to the house at any time to visit his daughters. I've seen his Land Rover there.
"The girls, including April, all play out on the green together and go around on the bikes. I've seen them here quite often."
He added: "That is the reason he came around here, because he has children living here.
"I don't think that the estate has got any views about his children. They are only young and have nothing to do with any of this."