A woman wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run was arrested yesterday after a dramatic police operation in countryside south of Bristol.

A police helicopter, search dogs, cars and officers were all used in the build-up to the arrest in the village of Publow of 27-year-old Hannah Saaf, the owner of the car that killed 11-year-old Sam Riddall.

Sunday morning was the ninth day Avon & Somerset Police had been searching for the mother-of-two, after the tragic incident in Westbury-on-Trym a week last Friday.

Half a dozen cars and vans arrived in the village of Publow at around 10am, and began searching the surrounding countryside.

Police reportedly then went door-to-door in the village, several miles south of Whitchurch, asking residents to check their outbuildings to see if someone had been sleeping there.

The Post was told by residents that officers were looking for a woman wearing a white leather jacket, who had been carrying blankets.

Early reports suggested the police were alerted after a farm worker dialled 999 after finding Saaf asleep in a barn.

A police helicopter flew above the village around midday, then landed in a field near All Saints Church as the police closed the net.

Officers are understood to have located Saaf in fields behind Church Farm as she headed in the direction of Pensford.

Computer engineer Nick Moon had a front-row seat to the arrest as he watched the drama unfold from his garden, on a hill opposite the farm.

Sat on the decking with his daughter watching through binoculars, he saw a figure coming from the Compton Dando direction.

Mr Moon, 56, said: "It started off with the helicopter coming over us at around 12 o'clock, so we knew something exciting was going on.

"There were five or six police, they had dogs with them, and two were at the top of the hill by the church.

"There was a gate just ahead of them.

"There was a hive of activity and then the police rushed in. It was all over suddenly."

Lisa Coles, 39, lives on the road that goes down to the farm, and was one of the people the police had made inquiries with.

She said: "The police were going up and down and asking if we had seen anyone in a white leather jacket.

"There was a police van down the bottom, police dogs and they asked us to check our outbuildings.

"Apparently she was carrying blankets on her back but ditched them. I have no idea why she was here.

"It was a complete and utter surprise, the first I knew was the helicopter overhead.

"You don't exactly get a lot happening out here. The kids will have something to say when they go to school other than they helped with the garden."

Derek Woodford lives at the Old Vicarage and could see the police activity from his back garden, which is opened to the public once a year to raise money for Publow church.

He said: "I watched the helicopter go round for half an hour and then land in the field.

"There were about five police cars and a support wagon.

"I spoke to two or three lads on the bridge who said they had seen the woman in the back of the police car.

"[Normally] It's very quiet here, that's the way we like it."

Police launched a national appeal to find Saaf after the accident on Friday, May 1.

Detectives took the unusual step of releasing a photo of her last week in an effort to help the search.

Saaf, whose maiden name is Jewell, attended Millfield School in Somerset.

She married Nick Saaf, also 27, in September 2006 and until about a year ago they lived in Bishopston.

The accident happened at around 9.15pm, when a white Ford Focus estate was travelling along Eastfield Road towards the centre of Westbury-on-Trym.

It left the road, mounted the pavement and hit a group of pedestrians walking in the opposite direction.

After the collision the driver left the vehicle and fled the scene.

Sam, a year seven pupil at Redland Green School, died later at Bristol Children's Hospital.

Rachel and Martin Riddall, who have three other sons Jacob, 14, Thomas, nine and Joshua, five, spoke at a press conference in an effort to help police trace Saaf, of Kingsdown.

Mr Riddall, 45 and a former RAF mechanic, works for Campus Crusade for Christ International and Mrs Riddall works for the Agapé Christian organisation. They live in Westbury Park.

A spokesman for Avon & Somerset Police said: "Shortly after 12.30pm on Sunday, May 10, a 27-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

"The woman was arrested on the outskirts of Pensford near Bristol following a call to police by a member of the public.

"Police officers attended the area and located the woman who is now in custody at a Bristol police station.

"Officers investigating this incident would like to thank the media and the public for their help with this case."