French police were today hunting for the former wife of Oxford author Ian McEwan, after she absconded with their 13-year-old son.

Penny Allen, 51, went on the run yesterday before a judge in Guingamp, near her Brittany home, upheld a ruling by the English courts that the child should be returned to his father.

The Booker prize-winning author, who lives in Park Town, north Oxford, with the couple's 15-year-old son and his second wife, had travelled to France yesterday for the hearing before a family court judge with the intention of travelling back with his younger child. But Mrs Allen, whose 13-year marriage to McEwan ended acrimoniously in 1995, failed to appear for the hearing - apparently driving off with her son from their 15th century farmhouse before the ruling had been delivered.

Police in the nearby port of Brest confirmed today that Mrs Allen had been placed on their wanted list.

A spokesman said: "A watch has been put in place at ports and airports in the area and a bulletin has been released to both local and national police about the disappearance." He said there had not yet been any sightings of Mrs Allen, who is believed to be driving a white Peugeot estate car with British number plates.

Mr McEwan won a ruling at Oxford County Court this year granting him sole custody of both the couple's children, despite a claim by Mrs Allen that the boys did not have a stable environment.

Under the terms of the ruling, the boys' mother was to be allowed access visits, with the children travelling to her French home for their holidays. But Mrs Allen, a spiritual healer and therapist who had moved to west Brittany with the intention of setting up a retreat, announced last week that she would not be sending the children home.

She said: "I shall not be returning the children to Mr McEwan as required by the court and am asking for a full inquiry into the case." Although the 15-year-old boy subsequently returned to his father of his own accord, the younger son remained with his mother - sparking the legal fight.

The decision by the French judge that the 13-year-old had to be returned to his father was made under the Hague Convention, which requires courts to respect orders made in relation to children in other signatory countries.

McEwan, 51, won the Booker Prize last year with his novel, Amsterdam.

Story date: Friday 03 September

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