A NORTH Yorkshire mother-of-ten today demanded an apology from police chiefs after her home was raided twice by armed officers searching for fugitive Mark Hobson.

Valerie Kemp, 49, is a long-time friend of Hobson, who was found on at Shipton-by-Beningbrough on Sunday and is now being questioned by police investigating the deaths of 27-year-old twins Claire and Diane Sanderson and frail elderly couple James and Joan Britton.

Mrs Kemp, who lives with six of her children in a council house in Abbots Road, Selby, said: "My house was raided twice by armed police - the last time was on Sunday when they found him near York almost 20 miles away.

"The police thought he was in my attic, but the last time I saw Mark was five weeks ago.

"The first time they raided my home last week I was arrested and banged in a cell for 17 hours for nothing.

"I didn't even know where my kids were. One of my daughters, Donna, was also arrested and bailed because she also knew Mark.

"It's disgusting the way we've been treated and very unfair on the kids.

"It's caused me a lot of stress. I have hardly eaten and haven't been able to sleep since my arrest last Wednesday.

"I felt everybody on the estate was blaming me because the police were round at my house.

"I was also being watched and followed everywhere I went. I was scared to go to anyone's house in case I dragged them into it."

Mrs Kemp said: "I told police I didn't want a solicitor because I had nothing to hide.

"I now plan to lodge an official complaint with the chief constable.

"I'm really relieved that Mark has been found, but I think the police owe me an apology for what they have put me and my family through."

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "If the woman makes a complaint, it will be taken seriously and closely examined."

Updated: 13:55 Tuesday, July 27, 2004