McCanns tell of new hope in the search for Madeleine
THE parents of Madeleine McCann told yesterday of their renewed hope of a vital breakthrough in the search for their missing daughter.
It comes as new details emerged of the clues Kate and Gerry helped uncover which has led to a fresh investigation into her disappearance.
Private detectives hired by the couple are focusing on a sighting of a man seen carrying a small child towards the beach in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on the night Madeleine disappeared.
And the investigators want to track down tourists who saw a man acting suspiciously outside the McCanns’ holiday apartment.
The revelations came as the couple quietly marked the second anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance yesterday.
Kate and Gerry spent the day away from their home village of Rothley, Leics, after deciding it was too painful to remain there.
They were comforted by friends at a secret location as prayers for the missing youngster were said at Rothley’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Meanwhile, a poster of Madeleine was displayed at a Premier League soccer match at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light yesterday.
The new leads emerged after Kate and Gerry spent six months poring over the Portuguese police dossier. GP Kate, 41, told of her determination to kick-start the search. She said:
“I don’t believe anybody has got the motivation that I have.”
British detectives Dave Edgar and Arthur Cowley were called in after key leads emerged from the documents.
The new leads will feature in a TV documentary to be screened on Thursday night. The McCanns hope a special reconstruction filmed with Gerry will help jog memories.
Last night the couple’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell told how they were “encouraged” by a fresh surge of interest in the case after the release of a new computer-generated picture of how experts believe Madeleine looks today, aged nearly six.
Cutting Edge: Madeleine Was Here, will be shown on Channel 4 on Thursday at 9pm.
