Million pound reward offered in Madeleine search

A businessman has offered a reward of £1m (€1.5m) for information that leads to the return of Madeleine McCann as the search for the three-year-old enters its eighth day.

Stephen Winyard, owner of a Scottish health spa called Stobo Castle, made the offer earlier this week through The Times.

The proposal has reportedly been passed on to the McCann family in Portugal, but it is currently unclear whether the country’s laws will allow the offer to be formally put to the public.

It is not the first reward to be offered in the case. On Saturday a colleague of Madeleine’s mother offered a £100,000 (€147,000) reward for help in finding the toddler.

But it may provide a boost to Madeleine’s distraught parents Kate and Gerry as they contemplate marking their daughter’s fourth birthday in Praia da Luz tomorrow with no news of her whereabouts.

Police have confirmed they are checking CCTV footage from several locations.

A source confirmed that it includes a tape from a service station close to Praia da Luz which shows a young girl with a woman.

According to the Portuguese press, the footage is key to the theory that Madeleine was snatched by two men and one woman.

Mr Winyard, a 57-year-old father-of-three who lives in Monaco, said he was moved to come forward by photographs of Madeleine’s distraught parents.

He told the Times: “When I saw their faces, I felt frustrated that no one else had yet come forward offering a substantial reward, and so felt compelled to do so myself.”

Yesterday Portuguese police said in a press conference that the search for Madeleine, who was abducted in a holiday resort a week ago, was coming to an end.

The Policia Judiciaria (PJ) said the search had not yet been called off but conceded that it was being wound down.

Chief Inspector Olegario Sousa said that a 200 kilometre (125 mile) square area had been searched, with each area covered more than once by search, rescue and dog teams.

He said: “The area that they covered until now, and all the places that have been checked, the results are zero.”

Earlier in the day Mr and Mrs McCann were interviewed by police in Portimao along with friends. But police emphasised that they were not under any suspicion.

Mrs McCann left the police station at 10.40pm yesterday.

Police said her husband left three hours later.

Chief Inspector Sousa insisted that the investigation itself was continuing and the initial purpose “to locate the little girl” remained its focus.

He confirmed that CCTV footage had been taken from several locations but would not elaborate.

A source has confirmed that a tape from a service station close to Praia da Luz had been taken by police.

It is believed that staff in the service station became suspicious when a woman and a child matching Madeleine’s description were seen in the service station.

Reports have also pointed to two men also being present.

Meanwhile, newspaper 24 Horas also spoke of a report of a blonde woman seen near Madeleine’s bedroom on the night of her abduction.

Madeleine was snatched more than a week ago as she slept in her parents’ holiday apartment in the village while the couple were dining nearby.

Police last night issued an image of a pair of pyjamas identical to those which Madeleine had been wearing when she disappeared.

Notices around Praia da Luz had previously conflicting accounts of what she was wearing.

Back in England, Madeleine’s grandparents yesterday attended a moving service along with hundreds of others at their local church.

Susan and Brian Healy lit candles on the altar at Our Lady of Compassion RC Church in Formby, Merseyside.

The family of the missing girl hugged each other and wept during the hour-long service held by Father Paul Seddon, who baptised Madeleine.