Parents: Madeleine is probably dead

But he said that while Kate and Gerry McCann knew there was a "probability" she was dead they had not given up all hope.

Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell also dismissed reports that a computer used by Mr McCann had been seized by Portuguese police, saying officers would find nothing of interest on it.

Mr Mitchell told reporters: "Kate and Gerry are realistic enough to know that there is a probability she is dead.

"They have not given up hope that she is still alive and is being looked after somewhere. But human nature is that you always fear the worst and they need to know what has happened."

The computer in question had largely sat unused "gathering dust" in the corner of the family apartment in Praia da Luz after being loaned to them by a local computer shop.

When the couple left Portugal for the UK it was left behind in the apartment.

Mr Mitchell said: "We were offered a PC and it proved useless. If that is the computer they are talking about then the police are welcome to it. They will be bored rigid.

"There is nothing incriminating on it because there is nothing incriminating to find.

"It was only used to print out statements for them (Gerry and Kate) to read out and as a rudimentary database of press contacts. In the end we gave up on the thing and it sat in the corner gathering dust."