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Police probing Madeleine letter Police probing Madeleine letter
(about 1 hour later)
A Dutch newspaper has received an anonymous letter and a map claiming to show where missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann's body is buried. Police in Portugal are investigating an anonymous letter and a map claiming to show where missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann's body is buried.
Police in Portugal said they were investigating the information. The letter, sent to Dutch paper De Telegraaf, identifies an area 15km (9.3 miles) from where Madeleine vanished.
The location identified is about 15km (9.3 miles) from the Algarve resort Madeleine disappeared from on 3 May. It strongly resembles another letter sent to the same newspaper last year, accurately pinpointing where two missing Belgian girls were buried.
The letter strongly resembles another received by the De Telegraaf paper last year, accurately pinpointing where two missing Belgian girls were buried. Ch Insp Olegario de Sousa said officers were "checking the information".
Portuguese police spokesman Olegario de Sousa told reporters: "If a place is identified, we check it out." 'Everything necessary'
Studying similarities The Madeleine letter pinpoints a dirt track north of Odiaxere in the Algarve, according to De Telegraaf.
The Madeleine letter pinpoints a dirt track north of Odiaxere in the Algarve. The paper said that the letter claims Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, is buried "north of the road under branches and rocks, around six to seven metres off the road".
Beside a cross and two question marks, the sender has written "vermoedelijke vindplaats Madeleine" - the place where Madeleine can probably be found.Beside a cross and two question marks, the sender has written "vermoedelijke vindplaats Madeleine" - the place where Madeleine can probably be found.
According to the letter-writer, the girl's body is to be found to the north of the road marked on the map, six or seven metres away from the road. Mr Sousa confirmed Portuguese police were aware of the map and were doing "everything necessary".
Mr de Sousa confirmed Portuguese police were aware of the map and were investigating. He said: "There have been exchanges between Dutch police and us.
"The information indicated an area 15km from the place of the disappearance of the little child. It is not far from Praia da Luz. We are checking the information like we check everything in this case for importance."
Tip-off letter
Dutch police are studying similarities between the new letter and one received by De Telegraaf pointing to the whereabouts of Belgian step-sisters Stacey Lemmens, seven, and Nathalie Mahy, 10.Dutch police are studying similarities between the new letter and one received by De Telegraaf pointing to the whereabouts of Belgian step-sisters Stacey Lemmens, seven, and Nathalie Mahy, 10.
The girls were murdered in June 2006 after they disappeared from a late-night fair in the town of Liege.The girls were murdered in June 2006 after they disappeared from a late-night fair in the town of Liege.
On the day that the letter was received, police found their bodies at the spot indicated on an enclosed map.On the day that the letter was received, police found their bodies at the spot indicated on an enclosed map.
A convicted paedophile, Abdullah Ait-Oud, is now on remand awaiting trial for murder. A convicted paedophile, Abdullah Ait Oud, is now on remand awaiting trial for murder.
The Telegraaf believes the letter comes from the same sender because the phrase "vermoedelijke vindplaats" was also used in the tip-off letter last year about Stacey and Nathalie, BBC correspondent Alix Kroeger added.The Telegraaf believes the letter comes from the same sender because the phrase "vermoedelijke vindplaats" was also used in the tip-off letter last year about Stacey and Nathalie, BBC correspondent Alix Kroeger added.
Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz on 3 May. Madeleine disappeared while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz on 3 May.
It is believed she was abducted from a holiday apartment while her parents ate at a nearby restaurant.It is believed she was abducted from a holiday apartment while her parents ate at a nearby restaurant.
Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have travelled across Europe in an effort to find her.Her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have travelled across Europe in an effort to find her.
The couple were also featured in an appeal for information on BBC One's Crimewatch.The couple were also featured in an appeal for information on BBC One's Crimewatch.