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| Sighting significant say McCanns | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The father of Madeleine McCann has described the sighting of a man seen on the night of her disappearance as being "significant" to his daughter's case. | The father of Madeleine McCann has described the sighting of a man seen on the night of her disappearance as being "significant" to his daughter's case. |
| Gerry McCann said he and his wife Kate welcomed the release of the information by the Portuguese police. | Gerry McCann said he and his wife Kate welcomed the release of the information by the Portuguese police. |
| He said that the sighting of a man "with what appeared to be a child in his arms" was both "significant and relevant to Madeleine's abduction". | He said that the sighting of a man "with what appeared to be a child in his arms" was both "significant and relevant to Madeleine's abduction". |
| The man is said to be white, 5ft 10ins, medium build with short hair. | |
| He was seen on the night Madeleine was taken from the Praia da Luz apartment in the Algarve, Portugal. | |
| A family spokesman has also revealed that Chancellor Gordon Brown has had several telephone conversations with Mr McCann. | |
| MAN'S DESCRIPTION White5ft 10insMedium build Short hairWearing a dark jacket, beige trousers and dark shoesCarrying "a child or an object that could have been taken as a child" | |
| Mr Brown offered both parents "his full support" in their efforts to find the four-year-old, who vanished on the night of May 3. | |
| A spokesman for the McCanns said: "I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown. | A spokesman for the McCanns said: "I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown. |
| "During them, Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private. | "During them, Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine, although details of the conversations will remain private. |
| "The conversations took place against the background of the chancellor's earlier offer to help when he met and spoke to other members of the McCann family in the UK." | "The conversations took place against the background of the chancellor's earlier offer to help when he met and spoke to other members of the McCann family in the UK." |
| Map of locations | Map of locations |
| Portuguese police went public with the description of the man seen on the night after pressure from the McCann family to move the investigation on. | |
| In a statement made to the press, Mr McCann said he and his wife welcomed the release of the "important" information which had come following an amicable and very constructive meeting with Portuguese police. | |
| Madeleine with her father and brother Sean 'Nightmare' of parents | Madeleine with her father and brother Sean 'Nightmare' of parents |
| "We feel sure that this sighting of a man with what appeared to be a child in his arms, is both significant and relevant to Madeleine's abduction," he said. | |
| The couple also appealed for more information about the man spotted by witnesses. | |
| "Was this man seen anywhere else in or near the town with a child, or what appeared to be a child? What direction was he headed in? Did he have a vehicle?" | |
| BBC correspondent Steve Kingstone in the Algarve said it was the first time the police had given a detailed description of a man they wanted to speak to. | BBC correspondent Steve Kingstone in the Algarve said it was the first time the police had given a detailed description of a man they wanted to speak to. |
| But it is not known how long detectives had known this information or whether they believed the man abducted Madeleine, he added. | But it is not known how long detectives had known this information or whether they believed the man abducted Madeleine, he added. |
| The BBC's correspondent said police were publicly playing down the similarities between the man described and the only official suspect in the case, Robert Murat. | The BBC's correspondent said police were publicly playing down the similarities between the man described and the only official suspect in the case, Robert Murat. |
| Mr Murat denies any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. | Mr Murat denies any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. |
| On Friday the McCanns told the BBC of the guilt they felt at not being with their daughter when she was abducted. | On Friday the McCanns told the BBC of the guilt they felt at not being with their daughter when she was abducted. |
| Gordon Brown has offered to help the McCanns find their daughter | Gordon Brown has offered to help the McCanns find their daughter |
| They said they were experiencing "every parent's worst nightmare" and loved her "more than anyone could imagine". | They said they were experiencing "every parent's worst nightmare" and loved her "more than anyone could imagine". |
| Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, was abducted from her bed in the Algarve resort as her parents ate dinner at a nearby tapas restaurant. | Madeleine, from Rothley, Leicestershire, was abducted from her bed in the Algarve resort as her parents ate dinner at a nearby tapas restaurant. |
| The McCanns said criticism of them for leaving her in the bedroom was "hard to deal with", but insisted that thousands of other people would have done the same "in such a safe resort". | The McCanns said criticism of them for leaving her in the bedroom was "hard to deal with", but insisted that thousands of other people would have done the same "in such a safe resort". |
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