£1m spent in hunt for Madeleine - News in brief - Evening Standard
       

£1m spent in hunt for Madeleine

More than £1 million has been spent hunting for missing Madeleine McCann, her parents have revealed.

Kate and Gerry McCann said that in less than a year the Find Madeleine fund had paid £1 million to Spain's Metodo 3 detective agency to search for her.

And the pair told the Daily Mirror they will spend whatever it takes to uncover the truth.

Mrs McCann, 40, told the newspaper: "We can't set a limit. A child does not have a price. We will pay what we have to. It just takes one person to make the one phone call we so hope for. We know she was abducted and believe someone knows or suspects something.

"We want to find her alive. But if she is dead we want to know. There's nothing in the police report that indicates anything bad has happened to her."

The two doctors, from Rothley, Leicestershire, also spoke of their bitterness at having ever been made suspects in the case.

Mrs McCann strongly condemned detective Goncalo Amaral, who led the hunt and later wrote a book on the case, labelling his behaviour "a disgrace".

Mr McCann, 40, said: "We were investigated in the most intimate detail. My plan was to stay quiet and not answer. But the first question was, 'Are you involved in the disappearance of your daughter?' It was nonsense and I decided to respond."

Mr McCann again expressed his anguish at leaving Madeleine alone with twins Sean and Amelie as they went for dinner in Portugal's Praia da Luz resort.

But he said the couple were "not negligent" but "profoundly regret" what happened.

News in brief in Pictures

Don't Miss
Rock star: Erin Wasson

Rock star

Erin Wasson is the ultimate anti-supermodel
Maybe it’s because she’s a Londoner … Happy anniversary, Ma’am

Happy anniversary

The monarchy has become stronger and more respected in the past 60 years
Victoria Coren: My obsession with children, five proposals a week and why David and I are no power couple

Victoria Coren

David Mitchell and I are no power couple
The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition preview party

Summer party

Stars at the The Royal Academy of Arts
London gets ready for the Diamond Jubilee - in pictures

Diamond Jubilee

London gets ready - in pictures
The Glamour Awards - stars turn on the style

Glamour Awards

Stars turn on the style
Duchess of Cambridge is pretty in pink at her first Buckingham Palace garden party

Garden party

Duchess of Cambridge is pretty in pink
FIRST review of Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi blockbuster Prometheus

First review

Is Ridley Scott's Prometheus any good?
Fair-weather goths

Fair-weather goths

The sultry shades of summer darks are coming out of the shadows
Dog save the Queen: Corgis surge in popularity

Dog save the Queen

Corgis surge in popularity