Madeleine's parents: 'Discovering she was gone was worse than being named suspects'

The parents of Madeleine McCann have told how finding out their daughter was missing was worse than being named suspects in her disappearance.

In her first interview since being declared an official suspect, Kate McCann also revealed today how she weeps every day for her missing daughter.

She said: "I've had days when if I wasn't crying about Madeleine I was crying from the letters and messages people have sent to us. It has helped so much."

Mrs McCann added: "I don't think there has been one particular low moment, obviously nothing can compare withthe night Madeleine went missing.

"A lot has happened since then, sometimes the most trivial of things can bring you crashing down."

Mrs McCann, with husband Gerry, also told how they were trying to give their twins, Sean and Amelie, a normal a life as possible.

She said: "We tell them that she is missing and that everyone is looking for her and that is the truth."

The McCanns, both 39, also told how the pain of not knowing what had happened to their daughter had taken its toll on them.

Mr McCann said: "I think when we were made suspects in our own daughter's disappearance, when the inference was that Madeleine was dead and somehow we were involved ... but no it can't get worse than that first night.

"Everything that has happened. Everything we do and feel is all put into perspective by how we felt on that first night."

It was also revealed today that £57,000 has been raised from the sale of green and yellow bands of hope. This will be ploughed back into the search for Madeleine, who vanished from the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on 3 May.

Mrs McCann said: "Something carries you through. We have Sean and Amelie of course, we are there for them and we still have hope. The messages of support, friends and family rallying round, we just can't overestimate what those messages of support have meant for us.

"They have kept us going on low days, kept us strong during the worst times."

The couple, who are both doctors and are now back at home in Rothley, Leicestershire, described how they dealt with the subject of their missing daughter when asked about it by her siblings.

Mr McCann said that the twins often asked about their big sister, who was nearly four when she vanished from their holiday apartment.

Mrs McCann said: "It didn't take them long to settle back. It's familiar for them at home. They have their toys, they know where things are. They are back in the nursery. They play so well together. They miss their big sister."

Her husband added: "They don't dwell on it. They miss her but they are not tormented by it. Time means nothing to them at their age. They have no comprehension of when things have happened, they are happy with themselves."

The couple told of the struggle to get back to normality in the midst of media attention. Mr McCann said: "Today is the first day there are no photographers outside our house."

Mrs McCann added: "There is a semblance of normality returning. It's more normal than it was three weeks ago. Amelie and Sean see to that. But really how can it be normal. How can it be normal without Madeleine?"

The couple gave the interview to their local paper, The Leicester Mercury, to thank local people for their support.

They also collected the cheque for £57,000 raised by the newspaper's readers who bought tens of thousands of the wrist bands to fund the search.

The McCanns said: "Your support kept us going through the worst of times." Mr McCann added: "Both Kate and I would like to say a big sincere thank you to everyone in Rothley in Leicestershire who has been so supportive. It means a lot to us."

The couple took legal advice to make sure the interview did not break Portuguese law which prevents them from discussing the investigation. They could be jailed for up to a year.

They told of their decision to involve the media in the search. Mr McCann said the decision was taken out of their hands on the night Madeleine disappeared. "We came out of the police station and there were 150 reporters there. We had a quick decision to make. What do we do here? Do we ask the media for help or do we hide?"