McCanns 'blamed' for failed search for Madeleine

Officers said Gerry and Kate McCann had dealt a potentially 'fatal' blow to the hunt for their daughter by accidentally destroying crucial evidence as they frantically searched their holiday apartment in the minutes after the four-year-old was discovered missing.

In their panic, the couple allowed two dozen people into Madeleine's bedroom to help and they contaminated the scene by touching furniture and opening and closing doors and windows, police said.

Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa told Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias: "The presence of so many people - especially in the room where the little girl slept with her brother and sister - could have at least complicated the work of the forensic team.

"At the very worst they would have destroyed all the evidence.

"This could prove to be fatal for the investigation."

The comments, which follow sustained criticism of the police investigation to try to find Madeleine, were said to have "dismayed" the McCanns.

A source close to the family said: "It's insensitive at the very least. Of course the family are going to search the apartment.

"If your child goes missing, you search under the beds, in the wardrobes, behind the doors, everywhere.

"It's inevitable that there were people in the bedroom. Even if what the police are saying is true, it's very unhelpful to say it publicly."

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The McCanns intend to stay in Portugal at least until the end of the summer even though Mr McCann's compassionate leave runs out at the end of the month.

Mrs McCann has said she cannot contemplate going back to work as a part-time GP and has thought about turning her attention to child welfare and trafficking issues full-time.

An unidentified sample of DNA found in the bedroom following Madeleine's abduction from the apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz on May 3 is being checked against 500 people interviewed in the connection with the case.

But so far no link has been found, and as Portugal does not have a DNA database detectives are unable to compare it with samples from previous child abduction investigations.

The hunt for Madeleine appears to have come to a standstill after police last week called off a short search of scrubland nine miles from Praia da Luz that followed an anonymous letter to a Dutch newspaper.

The only suspect detectives have is Robert Murat, who looks increasingly likely to be cleared of any involvement in her disappearance.

Detectives were criticised for a string of failures in the first days of the investigation, including failing 'lock down' the resort immediately after Madeleine was reported missing because they initially believed she had simply wandered off.

Officers also failed to alert border officials of her disappearance for 12 hours.

Yesterday the McCanns, from Rothley in Leicestershire, attended a two-hour church ceremony in Praia da Luz where prayers were said for Madeleine.

Mrs McCann, with yellow and green ribbons in her blonde hair, held her daughter's favourite soft toy Cuddle Cat and a copy of the Bible.

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On Friday the McCanns plan to release 50 balloons from 50 countries to mark the 50th day since Madeleine's disappearance.

Germany, France, Australia, Dubai, Canada, America and El Salvador are among those countries expected to take part, as well as 10 cities in the UK.

• A 33-year-old woman was remanded in custody today after pleading guilty to making a bogus collection for the fund to help find Madeleine.

Cannock Magistrates' Court was told that Debbie Clifton made various attempts to collect cash after calling at addresses in the town earlier this month, successfully persuading one elderly resident to hand over spare change.

Adjourning the case until July 9 for the preparation of reports, magistrates warned Clifton that all sentencing options would be considered.

Sonia Durrant-Clarke, prosecuting, told the court that Clifton, of Boswell Road, Chadsmoor, Cannock, was detained on June 2 after telling an elderly woman, who gave her £2.70, that she was collecting funds on behalf of Madeleine McCann.

"She made various attempts to collect further money but they proved futile and she was arrested and admitted the offence," the prosecutor said.

Clifton pleaded guilty to theft in connection with the door-to-door collection and to smashing a pub window after arguing with her brother about the nature of her offending.

She also pleaded guilty to the unrelated theft of a garden ornament worth £4.