Holidaymakers tell of late-night search for Madeleine

A British couple on holiday in the Algarve resort where Madeleine McCann was abducted told today how frantic staff knocked on the doors of holidaymakers to get them involved in a search for the missing girl.

Paul Moyes, 58, who is on holiday with his wife, Susan, said: “At 11.30pm there was a knock on the door. I went out in my dressing gown and there was a distressed gentleman there saying that a child had been abducted and could we help with the search. Everybody got involved.”

The couple said the drama unfolded after what they described as “a fabulous day” in the Praia Da Luz resort.

It was as the couple were sleeping that three-year-old Madeleine was snatched from her parents’ holiday apartment below.

Mrs Moyes, 58, from Middlewich, Cheshire, told how they had returned to their apartment at around 9.15pm after an evening out.

“We went into the apartment, I went out on the balcony, looking over at the tapas bar, and remarked to Paul that there were so many people in there eating and drinking – ’what a fabulous day’.”

Among those dining in the tapas bar opposite their apartment were Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate, who were making regular trips back to their own rooms to check on their children.

Mr Moyes said: “I felt quite shattered, to be quite frank. The people were themselves extremely sad and it was quite sad for everybody.

“We were quite emotionally shattered, seeing the family that distressed.”

He said that among those who joined the search were many off-duty police in plain clothes who had been called in to help.

Mrs Moyes said: “Walking around you would see individual men, they were police but you wouldn’t know because they were in casual clothes.”

The couple said they remained on the search until 4am on Friday morning.

Mr Moyes described the resort as idyllic and safe. His wife added: “It is paradise.”