€1m McCann campaign lift

A EUROPE-WIDE alert system for missing children has received a €1 million European Commission handout on the eve of the second anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.

Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry, whose daughter disappeared from a Portuguese holiday resort on May 3, 2007, have been campaigning for closer cooperation between EU countries to help prevent child abductions across borders.

They twice went to the European Parliament last year, winning support from MEPs for increased action to set up a US-style “Amber Alert” early warning system which has led to the safe return of hundreds of children when the alarm has been raised across state lines.