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Anguish of missing girl's parents Anguish of missing girl's parents
(about 5 hours 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, pleaded for the return of their "beautiful" Madeleine.
Madeleine went missing from an apartment bedroom while her parents were at a nearby restaurant. Madeleine vanished from an apartment bedroom on Thursday evening while her parents were at a nearby restaurant.
Mrs McCann found her bed empty at about 2200 GMT on Thursday. Police are continuing the search for her. Pictures of her have been widely distributed, and ports put on alert.
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 informationMr 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 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 stolenNothing 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. The McCanns had been staying at the Mark Warner Ocean Summer Club in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz.
Mr and Mrs McCann, both 38-year-old doctors, had been dining in a tapas restaurant a few hundred yards from the apartment on Thursday evening.
They had been checking on Madeleine and her younger brother and sister, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, every half an hour.
The door was lying open, the window in the bedroom and the shutters had been jemmied open Gerry McCann Aunt speaks of fearsThe 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 at about 2200 that night they 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. Extra police teams have been brought in from Lisbon to help the search for Madeleine, and tracker dogs have been used. Police have notified border police, Spanish police and airports.
Police have notified border police, Spanish police and airports. The British ambassador, John Buck, who came down from Lisbon to support the family, said the search had been both "intensive and extensive" and the police had assured him everything possible was being done.
The apartment has been sealed off for forensic checks, extra police teams were brought in from Lisbon and sniffer dogs have been used. A senior Portuguese police officer told the BBC the investigation was going well and he was confident, but he refused to elaborate on what that might mean.
'Worried sick''Worried sick'
Fellow holidaymakers and staff from the British travel firm Mark Warner have also been looking for the little girl.
One British tourist at the resort urged anyone who had seen anything to tell the police.
"There are a lot of people here at the moment. There are lot of tourists, there are a lot of locals and sometimes you don't realise what you've seen," she said.
"So if anyone does go through their thoughts again and if they think possibly, they just need to get in touch with the authorities."
Another said: "We're very, very shocked at the news. We've been in Portugal a few times, we've been here in Luz, this is the second year, we were here last year. And this particular place is known as a friendly and safe place for families."
Relatives have flown out to the resort from Manchester to be with the distraught couple.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.
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.
The British Ambassador to Portugal, John Stephen Buck, has travelled to the Algarve.
He said: "I have been in touch with the national chief of police during the course of the day and also with the chief of police here in the Algarve and they have assured me that everything possible is being done."
Mark Warner UK Operations Director Craig Mayhew and family liaison officers from Leicestershire police are also travelling to Portugal.Mark Warner UK Operations Director Craig Mayhew and family liaison officers from Leicestershire police are also travelling to Portugal.