 I was just going to make a very brief statement and then happy to field a few questions, but certainly the significance of the bone find is not lost on the family and we're aware that that primary site is definitely of interest to the police and we're choked with emotion the possibility that it is Daniel and of course we're really hopeful that it is which can bring to conclusion an extremely sad chapter in our family's life but we'd also like to acknowledge the tremendous work of the Queensland Police Service particularly over the last couple of weeks and especially the SES over the last nine days, probably longer but we're not necessarily aware of that but you know the SES have done countless scores of searches over the almost eight years and drawn a blank on many of those but this one seems to be potentially interesting site and with the shoe finds and obviously the human bone finds we're just waiting forensic tests to see whether they are in fact Daniel so we're still waiting specific tests to be done and we understand that'll be a number of weeks away well the weekend was planned many months ago as a double 80th birthday for Denise's parents and so on Saturday we flew down the two boys and Denise and myself and as we got off the plane we switched the phones on and of course we had the revelation that a second shoe would be found so that was extremely dramatic as you leave the airport and then of course on the Sunday we just had the family gathering being an afternoon tea and we took the call about an hour into that event and it was the two boys and Denise's my brief discussion on a balcony where we took fielded that call privately that we decided not to tell anybody at the party because we didn't want to you know make a terribly sad occasion for for grandparents that have that have had a tough enough you know for nearly eight years so as soon as that that party effectively was over we told them and and of course they were they were rocked by the news it's a very very unusual type of news to receive where you you have been waiting a hell of a long time to hear that your son's been found but at the same time you were you know he's been listed as a missing person so you know there's that that gray area I suppose where you just don't know you know what to call Daniel and and and how to receive the news that potentially you know the depending on the significance of that find just is that going to be the final chapter or not so you know we're prepared to wait for a number of weeks and get the required tests because it is important that the forensic tests are done beyond question and and I have no doubt that the police will ensure that everything's done to the letter of the law and beyond you mentioned that you were choked with a motion when you got the news it must have been very difficult keeping that to yourself at the party yeah no yeah you're right particularly as there was a montage played of Denise's parents you know going from black and white photos through to you know their own children being young and then of course their children growing into parents themselves and and then being grandparents and obviously we were sitting there seeing Daniel plus you know other grandkids and I'm sitting there with a hot phone in my pocket with terrible news on it so yeah it was it was pretty tough Did this news seem much more real to you than the finding of the shoes? Was it more significant? Yeah it is I suppose over eight eight days we've had four monumental phone calls which was the arrest the first shoe the second shoe and then the the human bones that were found and each of those sets you back in a in a wave I suppose but if you sort of rate each of those phone calls in some strange way the the potential of those bones being Daniel is is relief you know it's not certainly not good news or or a celebration of any sort but it is it is sheer relief that maybe this is the final chapter that we've been hanging on for a long long time. Are you surprised at how quickly I mean it's been just over a week since the arrest and news of it came to light but are you surprised at how quickly different things have been have turned up in the week like the two shoes and the remotes? Yeah I've always thought that when we get a bit of luck on our side and the police have always identified we just need a bit of luck a bit of luck and maybe we got some luck you know in the recent past and and it was always going to come to a quick conclusion if that luck proves significant and certainly the arrest was was crucial and we're just waiting on forensic tests to to determine whether those belongings as well as those bones do belong to Daniel so we're still waiting. The police have confirmed today that those shoes were the same one as Daniel was wearing when he was abducted, it was obviously the odds are short. I'm unaware if they've put out a statement they were they were the same brand is that what you're suggesting? Well if that's out we were certainly told that with the initial phone call of the first find of the shoe and clearly that's significant but it's not conclusive so you know DNA is going to be extremely helpful as well as scientific tests for where patterns and those sorts of things if DNA is not not available so well you know I'd imagine that there's still many many tests to be conducted to make sure that would be on doubt that it that they do belong to Daniel. They're actually coping quite well and Denise is reasonably well as well I mean she's she's upset that that the potential is that that's Daniel but we were more upset when with the arrest and the first shoe that was found we were more upset with that because it suddenly just brought all the emotions back of in a seven and a half years and I suppose it's all it's been a waiting game just the last week or so thinking we must be getting close we must be getting closer and and certainly each each find was proving more significant here we're we're discussing that with police at the minute and we just we're certainly aware that it still is a search site and and clearly the information that the police are receiving and the guidance they need to be extremely cautious about having relatives of Daniel in that area because of potential DNA contamination of the site so obviously Bradley being a twin and you know parents going on to the site needs to be extremely cautious so we'll be we've made an approach and we're working through some logistics to ensure that there is zero potential of contamination and and of course the boys and Denise myself can spend a few private moments in that significant spot have the boys been out there yet no just it will be yeah and what about as I understand you're on your way to Tasmania stopping over in Melbourne for the party is it was it well obviously you've had a huge huge week was it you just hoping to have a bit of a break which is obviously being cut short yeah it's not unusual we have a little holiday house down there and quite often with technology certainly with Skype and and the internet and mobile phones etc we still conduct the foundation just from a different location and that we're well versed in that it was more a case of I think we just needed to recharge the batteries for a couple of days and we thought saw that opportunity as as presenting itself but we always knew that once the arrest and then the first two came that GWS we're going to be lucky to to get through the weekend because the potential of more significant things being potentially significant things being found you know I may present themselves quicker than we all imagine and and it appears to have look it's you have to it's something human beings have and that is to be with their family and you know we've worked so hard over eight years to be with Daniel to find him and you know we're not we don't expect to see anything you know significant there but it's just more a spiritual place that you know I think the family in its healing healing process will be a few moments well spent because certainly I can speak personally last week was that Tuesday at my phone maybe it was Monday it was as I described it was a bit eerie standing there but truly when you got in the car to drive away you felt as though it was significant and and you felt a little better for it so given that we've had more news and the potential of that to be of major interest is is not lost on anybody so we'll just we feel that it that you know maybe the times right to pop out there yeah I mean that's what we're gearing up for I suppose is the fifth phone call where it grows from from three to you know of course we'd we'd hope for the skeletal remains to be reasonably intact so you know I have no idea of the difficult site out there other than some news vision but you know it doesn't look great conditions and we're all aware of the floods and of course there are you know it's bushland so there are feral animals and and that sort of thing so the information we've got is it's whatever's required so if there's sufficient experts within Australia they'll be tasked that job but if overseas experts perhaps because the the DNA is not of sufficient quality or quantity you know but there's a more qualified person overseas and you know we're just happy that it's resourced by the best people that can be attracted and you know we're keen for that to happen yeah couple of weeks is is a reasonable guide but you know if it's longer because of some complication it is it's no skin off our nose we just want the job job done properly perfectly beyond question and and then we'll sit back and deal with the knowledge that it is Daniel or it is not Daniel and that's still under question now yeah I think so you know the events over the last eight and nine days has been really significant and while there's you know we all appreciate that that we need definite proof and only you know the forensic tests will prove that I think human nature would suggest that you know that the family's going to cling to what they believe and and that's that's the territory we're in at the moment you know that could all fall over you know with a strange quirk of coincidence but but you know we think it's it's part of the healing process if we go down that path did you get a sense of Daniel when you were out there no to be to be honest that sort of wasn't the objective and it was more that we were just recognizing the potential of that site as being Daniel's last resting place and so we were just wanting to be close to that it wasn't anything to connect you know in a medium sense or anything like that when we're certainly none of us are like that it was more not an adjust in a strange way just wanted to have a private private prayer and acknowledge the significance of the spot they'll be on a they'll be on a flight relatively soon and they're just we thought the best plan of attack was to for me to come back first and perhaps take the first round of media interest and and they just ship it away from that for an extra few hours perhaps and and spend that time with their parents that there are elderly and needs support as well what's your heart telling you is this Daniel do you feel that they do have Daniel I've probably already answered that in that you know we we think it's you know I can only speak as the parents of Daniel you know we just see the perhaps the ducks lining up and sort of saying well it looks likely but you know we all we are all very much aware that we need proof and only the forensic test will bring that and it may well be negative we are not in that in that space where we're saying it's definitely Daniel and if it is negative how long would you hope that they continue searching for oh we're really just happy with the the police identifying that they will continue that search for as long as it takes until they're happy that you know that that area is thoroughly examined so if they find nothing and you know there's been dozens of searches in the past and and they've drawn a blank so you know if this does fall over you know it'll be enormously disappointing but you know we don't we don't think that's the case we think there's you know enough significant things to to perhaps just heighten the height in the interest probably last evening was the very first time we've we've ever touched on that but you know we have absolutely no idea of any timelines when that may be at all possible simply because forensic tests are going to take place and you know if if they take you know a number of weeks you know and let's face it the the the search site even though they found three human bones and this test to take place you know we wouldn't organize a funeral I'd imagine until that particular site is thoroughly examined in case there's other finds so you know that that may well take a number of months even so we haven't even discussed that no we we're we've only really identified that the human bones and and tested to take place to determine if there's DNA and if that DNA is Daniel or not Daniel so you know as regards funerals and and you know the the possibility of other bones you know it's it's it's not really on our radar it's just coping with the news we've got to date and we'll go from there if you take that on board you beat yourself up big time and you know we're we've beaten ourselves up with so many stories and and and rumors over the journey that you know we're best to deal with facts and the facts are we're looking for Daniel and you know we're just waiting hopefully for the next couple of weeks and you know we'll know a firm yes or a firm no and go from there we're done