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Anguish of missing girl's parents | Anguish of missing girl's parents |
(20 minutes later) | |
The parents of a three-year-old girl feared abducted on a family holiday in Portugal have spoken of their anguish and despair at her disappearance. | The parents of a three-year-old girl feared abducted on a family holiday in Portugal have spoken of their anguish and despair at her disappearance. |
Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley in Leicestershire, also pleaded for anyone who may be holding their "beautiful" daughter to return her safely. | Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley in Leicestershire, also pleaded for anyone who may be holding their "beautiful" daughter to return her safely. |
Madeleine went missing from an apartment bedroom while her parents were at a nearby restaurant. | Madeleine went missing from an apartment bedroom while her parents were at a nearby restaurant. |
Mrs McCann found her bed empty at about 2200 GMT on Thursday. | Mrs McCann found her bed empty at about 2200 GMT on Thursday. |
Mr and Mrs McCann, who had been checking on their daughter regularly, were staying at the Mark Warner Ocean Summer Club in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz. | Mr and Mrs McCann, who had been checking on their daughter regularly, were staying at the Mark Warner Ocean Summer Club in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz. |
'Let her home' | 'Let her home' |
On Friday Mr McCann, with his wife at his side, read out an emotional statement outside the holiday apartments. | On Friday Mr McCann, with his wife at his side, read out an emotional statement outside the holiday apartments. |
Mr and Mrs McCann made an emotional appeal for information | |
"We cannot describe the anguish and despair we are feeling as parents of our beautiful daughter Madeleine," he said. | |
"We request that anyone with any information relating to Madeleine's disappearance, no matter how trivial, contact the Portuguese police and help us get her back safely." | "We request that anyone with any information relating to Madeleine's disappearance, no matter how trivial, contact the Portuguese police and help us get her back safely." |
He then addressed anyone who may be holding Madeleine, saying: "Please, if you have Madeleine, let her come home to her mummy, daddy, brother and sister." | He then addressed anyone who may be holding Madeleine, saying: "Please, if you have Madeleine, let her come home to her mummy, daddy, brother and sister." |
Nothing stolen | |
Madeleine's parents, both 38-year-old doctors, had been dining in a tapas restaurant a few hundred yards from the apartment and had been checking on the little girl and her younger brother and sister, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, every half hour. | Madeleine's parents, both 38-year-old doctors, had been dining in a tapas restaurant a few hundred yards from the apartment and had been checking on the little girl and her younger brother and sister, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, every half hour. |
The door was lying open, the window in the bedroom and the shutters had been jemmied open Gerry McCann Aunt speaks of fears | The door was lying open, the window in the bedroom and the shutters had been jemmied open Gerry McCann Aunt speaks of fears |
Mr McCann told the girl's aunt, Trish Cameron, from Dumbarton near Glasgow, that he had found the door open, with the bedroom window and shutters jemmied open. | Mr McCann told the girl's aunt, Trish Cameron, from Dumbarton near Glasgow, that he had found the door open, with the bedroom window and shutters jemmied open. |
"Nothing had been touched in the apartment, no valuables taken, no passports," she said. | "Nothing had been touched in the apartment, no valuables taken, no passports," she said. |
"They think someone must have come in the window and gone out the door with her." | "They think someone must have come in the window and gone out the door with her." |
Fellow holidaymakers, staff from the British travel firm Mark Warner - which has run the resort for two years - and police have been searching for the toddler. | Fellow holidaymakers, staff from the British travel firm Mark Warner - which has run the resort for two years - and police have been searching for the toddler. |
Police have notified border police, Spanish police and airports. | Police have notified border police, Spanish police and airports. |
The apartment has been sealed off for forensic checks, extra police teams were brought in from Lisbon and sniffer dogs have been used. | The apartment has been sealed off for forensic checks, extra police teams were brought in from Lisbon and sniffer dogs have been used. |
'Worried sick' | 'Worried sick' |
Relatives have flown out to the resort from Manchester to be with the distraught couple. | |
Speaking from his home in Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Madeleine's maternal grandfather Brian Healey said they were "worried sick". | Speaking from his home in Mossley Hill, Liverpool, Madeleine's maternal grandfather Brian Healey said they were "worried sick". |
Gerry McCann is a consultant cardiologist at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital. | Gerry McCann is a consultant cardiologist at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital. |
Doug Skehan, another consultant cardiologist there, said: "The mood in the hospital is one of great concern and we hope that Kate and Gerry will have their daughter back very soon." | Doug Skehan, another consultant cardiologist there, said: "The mood in the hospital is one of great concern and we hope that Kate and Gerry will have their daughter back very soon." |
Kate McCann is a GP at Latham House Medical Practice in Melton Mowbray, where colleagues said they would do everything to support the family. | Kate McCann is a GP at Latham House Medical Practice in Melton Mowbray, where colleagues said they would do everything to support the family. |
The British Ambassador to Portugal, John Stephen Buck, was travelling to the Algarve on Friday, as was Mark Warner UK Operations Director Craig Mayhew and a counsellor. | The British Ambassador to Portugal, John Stephen Buck, was travelling to the Algarve on Friday, as was Mark Warner UK Operations Director Craig Mayhew and a counsellor. |