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| Madeleine uncle urges hunt focus | Madeleine uncle urges hunt focus |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The uncle of missing Madeleine McCann has said criticism of the police is not helpful and called for a focus on taking the search for her forward. | |
| John McCann, who has been in the Algarve with Madeleine's parents, said: "Everybody's working to the same end." | John McCann, who has been in the Algarve with Madeleine's parents, said: "Everybody's working to the same end." |
| Sections of the British media have questioned the competence of the Portuguese police leading the hunt. | Sections of the British media have questioned the competence of the Portuguese police leading the hunt. |
| Three-year-old Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing from an apartment in Praia da Luz six days ago. | |
| On Wednesday, there was growing irritation in British papers over the investigation, with the Daily Mirror calling detectives "clueless" and the Daily Express claiming the Algarve police lacked experience. | On Wednesday, there was growing irritation in British papers over the investigation, with the Daily Mirror calling detectives "clueless" and the Daily Express claiming the Algarve police lacked experience. |
| Map of resort | Map of resort |
| Asked to comment on the reports, Mr McCann, from Glasgow, told BBC TV's Breakfast: "I don't think that's a useful avenue to explore. | Asked to comment on the reports, Mr McCann, from Glasgow, told BBC TV's Breakfast: "I don't think that's a useful avenue to explore. |
| "I would rather take it forward in a different way and get people saying 'let's move on, what can we do now?'. And I think Gerry and Kate [Madeleine's parents] want us to focus like that as well." | |
| During Mr McCann's time in Portugal, he said, there had been a change in the family's outlook. | During Mr McCann's time in Portugal, he said, there had been a change in the family's outlook. |
| She is a wee darling, a really fantastic young girl John McCann, Madeleine's uncle | She is a wee darling, a really fantastic young girl John McCann, Madeleine's uncle |
| They have gone from feeling "devastated and helpless" to being buoyed by all the support they have received and were feeling more positive about the things that could be done to find Madeleine, he said. | They have gone from feeling "devastated and helpless" to being buoyed by all the support they have received and were feeling more positive about the things that could be done to find Madeleine, he said. |
| "My brother's a fantastic guy, and Kate is a wonderful woman - they're great for coming up with positive ideas and they're mobilising contacts all over the place to get as much information and as many leads fed back," he said. | "My brother's a fantastic guy, and Kate is a wonderful woman - they're great for coming up with positive ideas and they're mobilising contacts all over the place to get as much information and as many leads fed back," he said. |
| He went on to describe his niece as quick, bright and energetic. | He went on to describe his niece as quick, bright and energetic. |
| "She is such fun. She can be a bit stroppy at times - but what interesting kid can't be? She is a wee darling, a really fantastic young girl," he said. | "She is such fun. She can be a bit stroppy at times - but what interesting kid can't be? She is a wee darling, a really fantastic young girl," he said. |
| His comments came after the British ambassador to Portugal, John Buck, defended the police search. | |
| He said he had been assured by Portuguese authorities that "everything possible" was being done to ensure the girl's safe return. | He said he had been assured by Portuguese authorities that "everything possible" was being done to ensure the girl's safe return. |
| On Tuesday, Portuguese officers said they had quizzed 100 people and searched 500 apartments. | On Tuesday, Portuguese officers said they had quizzed 100 people and searched 500 apartments. |
| Two British experts have also been drafted in to work on the investigation. | Two British experts have also been drafted in to work on the investigation. |
| Police have faced criticism over their handling of the case | Police have faced criticism over their handling of the case |
| Mr Buck said: "This is, and must remain, a Portuguese police investigation. | Mr Buck said: "This is, and must remain, a Portuguese police investigation. |
| "As you know, the Portuguese police operate under Portuguese law, and Portuguese law puts constraints on what they can say publicly and the information they can release." | "As you know, the Portuguese police operate under Portuguese law, and Portuguese law puts constraints on what they can say publicly and the information they can release." |
| Meanwhile, Antonio Santana Carlos, the Portuguese ambassador in London, said he understood the frustrations among parts of the media with the investigation, but added that police were doing their best. | |
| "It's very difficult to deal with these situations because even if you find the most prompt reaction, perhaps that is not enough." | "It's very difficult to deal with these situations because even if you find the most prompt reaction, perhaps that is not enough." |
| He rejected criticisms that the investigation took too long to get started, saying Portugal's border with Spain could not have been monitored any quicker. | |
| Any abductor could have crossed it within an hour - long before border police were alerted, he said. | Any abductor could have crossed it within an hour - long before border police were alerted, he said. |
| A Downing Street spokesman said these were difficult days for the family and for those trying to lead the investigation, and said help was being given wherever possible. | A Downing Street spokesman said these were difficult days for the family and for those trying to lead the investigation, and said help was being given wherever possible. |
| Madeleine hunt in pictures | Madeleine hunt in pictures |
| BBC correspondent Alison Roberts said the story had been widely covered on Portuguese television and radio, and was making the front page of newspapers. | BBC correspondent Alison Roberts said the story had been widely covered on Portuguese television and radio, and was making the front page of newspapers. |
| However, she said, some Portuguese journalists have asked whether so many resources had been poured into the investigation because of Madeleine's nationality, and whether the same effort would have been made for a Portuguese child - an assurance quickly given by police. | However, she said, some Portuguese journalists have asked whether so many resources had been poured into the investigation because of Madeleine's nationality, and whether the same effort would have been made for a Portuguese child - an assurance quickly given by police. |
| Madeleine is believed to have been taken from her bed last Thursday evening while her parents were eating at a nearby restaurant. | Madeleine is believed to have been taken from her bed last Thursday evening while her parents were eating at a nearby restaurant. |
| They had been regularly checking on her and their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, before she went missing. | They had been regularly checking on her and their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, before she went missing. |
| Mark Warner Holidays, operator of the resort, said it has received more than 400 messages of support for the McCanns from 20 countries. | |
| The complex where Madeleine disappeared | The complex where Madeleine disappeared |
| Return to top | Return to top |