McCann reconstruction called off

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A reconstruction of the night Madeleine McCann disappeared will not happen after friends her parents dined with that evening declined to take part.

Police had invited Kate and Gerry McCann back to Praia de Luz, Portugal, along with the so-called Tapas Seven.

But the friends had "serious questions" about the value of the reconstruction, Mr and Mrs McCann's spokesman said.

Madeleine, then aged three, of Rothley, Leicestershire, vanished from a holiday apartment in the resort last May.

Spokesman Clarence Mitchell said the McCanns had not refused to go back but had been aware of their friends' views and were not now needed by the police.

He said: "The bottom line is that there were a number of serious questions. For instance, why did they [Portuguese officers] want to hold a reconstruction more than a year after the event?

"There was a suggestion of doing a reconstruction at the Ocean Club last year but that was rejected out of hand because that was not the way they wanted to do things.

"Why was the reconstruction [the Portuguese suggested] not to be televised? That would have generated new leads and information but if it is not televised, how on earth is that going to help find Madeleine?"

He also questioned why only Madeleine's parents and their friends had been asked to take part in the reconstruction and not the other holidaymakers who were there when she disappeared.

It is thought the reconstruction had been due to take place later this week.