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| Madeleine McCann police confirm further sites to be searched | Madeleine McCann police confirm further sites to be searched |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have confirmed that two further sites will be searched in Praia da Luz in Portugal. | Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have confirmed that two further sites will be searched in Praia da Luz in Portugal. |
| The Met Police had previously requested for two other sites to be searched, but until now it was not known whether those requests had been granted. | The Met Police had previously requested for two other sites to be searched, but until now it was not known whether those requests had been granted. |
| Officers have also begun using ground-penetrating radar equipment, which looks for signs of disturbed earth. | Officers have also begun using ground-penetrating radar equipment, which looks for signs of disturbed earth. |
| Madeleine was three when she went missing in the resort in 2007. | Madeleine was three when she went missing in the resort in 2007. |
| British and Portuguese officers have been searching a 15-acre site for a third day. | British and Portuguese officers have been searching a 15-acre site for a third day. |
| Two white tents have been put up on the scrubland, and forensic officers wearing blue overalls and face masks have been seen walking in and out of them. | Two white tents have been put up on the scrubland, and forensic officers wearing blue overalls and face masks have been seen walking in and out of them. |
| The BBC understands that the tents have been put up over a hole in the ground, and officers have been seen filling buckets with earth, which are then placed into a wheelbarrow. | The BBC understands that the tents have been put up over a hole in the ground, and officers have been seen filling buckets with earth, which are then placed into a wheelbarrow. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, officers in Metropolitan Police uniforms were driven to a separate part of the cordoned-off area, where they were joined by Portuguese police and local forestry workers with strimmers. | |
| A man in plain clothes wheeled the radar equipment onto a section of ground that had earlier been cleared. | A man in plain clothes wheeled the radar equipment onto a section of ground that had earlier been cleared. |
| Officers from the Met and South Wales Police have also been working with sniffer dogs and using spades to help sift through the undergrowth. | Officers from the Met and South Wales Police have also been working with sniffer dogs and using spades to help sift through the undergrowth. |
| They are being overseen by the Met's Det Ch Insp Andy Redwood, the senior officer investigating the case. | They are being overseen by the Met's Det Ch Insp Andy Redwood, the senior officer investigating the case. |
| At the scene | At the scene |
| By Lauren Turner | By Lauren Turner |
| The painstaking search of a site in the resort of Praia da Luz has been continuing, with a forensics officer joining the police team on Wednesday. | The painstaking search of a site in the resort of Praia da Luz has been continuing, with a forensics officer joining the police team on Wednesday. |
| Work seems to have been concentrated in one particular area, with police going back and forth to a section of land at the perimeter of the site. Two tents have been erected here - it is unclear if that is to prevent the media from seeing what is being done or to provide shade. | Work seems to have been concentrated in one particular area, with police going back and forth to a section of land at the perimeter of the site. Two tents have been erected here - it is unclear if that is to prevent the media from seeing what is being done or to provide shade. |
| While the police can't be seen from the beach, which is packed with holidaymakers enjoying the Algarve sun, everyone here seems all too aware of the investigation. | While the police can't be seen from the beach, which is packed with holidaymakers enjoying the Algarve sun, everyone here seems all too aware of the investigation. |
| Christina, a 35-year-old from Bournemouth on holiday with family and friends, said: "We walked down here last night and it was quite scary seeing so many police around. | Christina, a 35-year-old from Bournemouth on holiday with family and friends, said: "We walked down here last night and it was quite scary seeing so many police around. |
| "The atmosphere here feels a bit flat because of what's happening. When you're on holiday you don't want to see police around but it's completely understandable." | "The atmosphere here feels a bit flat because of what's happening. When you're on holiday you don't want to see police around but it's completely understandable." |
| Her friend Suzi, 34, said: "It's a bit of a shame because it's a lovely place and this does seem to have had an effect on the economy and on the people here. | Her friend Suzi, 34, said: "It's a bit of a shame because it's a lovely place and this does seem to have had an effect on the economy and on the people here. |
| "But if that was your child, you would want everything possible to be done." | "But if that was your child, you would want everything possible to be done." |
| Several people the BBC spoke to had not known, before arriving at the resort, that it was the place where Madeleine McCann was last seen. | Several people the BBC spoke to had not known, before arriving at the resort, that it was the place where Madeleine McCann was last seen. |
| Josie, 29, from Exeter, on holiday with her partner and one-year-old son, said: "It brings it home to you, being here - it makes it feel more real. | Josie, 29, from Exeter, on holiday with her partner and one-year-old son, said: "It brings it home to you, being here - it makes it feel more real. |
| "We didn't realise when we booked that this was the place. It wasn't until I saw my dad I knew because he told me. I don't know if we would have come here otherwise. | "We didn't realise when we booked that this was the place. It wasn't until I saw my dad I knew because he told me. I don't know if we would have come here otherwise. |
| "But police have to do what they have to do. We all want the best for the family." | "But police have to do what they have to do. We all want the best for the family." |
| But Portuguese police sources told the BBC the search may be extended if there is a significant find. Officers are believed to have been surprised by the difficulty of the terrain, while the police also need to consider the disruption to local residents. | But Portuguese police sources told the BBC the search may be extended if there is a significant find. Officers are believed to have been surprised by the difficulty of the terrain, while the police also need to consider the disruption to local residents. |
| On Wednesday morning, the national Portuguese newspaper, Correio da Manha, reported that the sewage network around the Ocean Club, where the McCanns were staying when Madeleine disappeared, would be searched. | On Wednesday morning, the national Portuguese newspaper, Correio da Manha, reported that the sewage network around the Ocean Club, where the McCanns were staying when Madeleine disappeared, would be searched. |
| Officers will use cameras linked to fibre-optic cables, the paper said. It also reported that the bones of cows and pigs had been unearthed by the search on Tuesday. | Officers will use cameras linked to fibre-optic cables, the paper said. It also reported that the bones of cows and pigs had been unearthed by the search on Tuesday. |
| A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said there would be no running commentary on the operation. | A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said there would be no running commentary on the operation. |
| Two sniffer dogs have been provided by South Wales Police for the search. | Two sniffer dogs have been provided by South Wales Police for the search. |
| The Met launched a fresh investigation into Madeleine's disappearance last July, codenamed Operation Grange. | The Met launched a fresh investigation into Madeleine's disappearance last July, codenamed Operation Grange. |
| In March, they said they were seeking an intruder who sexually abused five girls in Portugal between 2004 and 2006. | In March, they said they were seeking an intruder who sexually abused five girls in Portugal between 2004 and 2006. |
| Detectives said the attacks had happened in holiday villas occupied by UK families in the Algarve. | Detectives said the attacks had happened in holiday villas occupied by UK families in the Algarve. |
| And last month Scotland Yard said a "substantial phase of operational activity" in Portugal would start soon. | And last month Scotland Yard said a "substantial phase of operational activity" in Portugal would start soon. |