£1.5m reward offered to find Madeleine

A reward of £1.5m (€2.2m) was today offered by a group of business figures, celebrities and a national newspaper for information leading to the safe return of missing Madeleine McCann.

Entrepreneurs including Richard Branson and Philip Green are among those who have joined together to offer the huge sum on the toddler’s fourth birthday.

It brings the total amount of money now being offered in the search to more than £2.5m (€3.7m) after another businessman offered £1m (€1.5m) earlier this week.

The new reward, which has been endorsed by the Portuguese police, was welcomed by Madeleine's father Gerry McCann.

He said: “We are very happy and pleased with what you are doing. Anything that can be done to publicise that Madeleine is missing and help with the search is very welcome.”

The News of the World, which announced the reward and itself pledged £250,000 (€367,000) to the fund, said it was the biggest reward ever offered in a newspaper.

Retail billionaire Philip Green, who owns high street shops including BHS, said: “My wife Tina and I have children, and anything we can do to help to bring this beautiful little girl back we will of course do without hesitation.

“We are praying for Madeleine’s safe return and can’t imagine what Kate and Gerry are going through at the moment.”

Earlier this week businessman Stephen Winyard, 57, who lives in Monaco, said he was offering £1m (€1.5m) after seeing photographs of Madeleine’s distraught parents.

The owner of Scottish health spa Stobo Castle 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.”

His offer followed a colleague of Madeleine’s mother putting up a £100,000 (€147,000) reward last Saturday for help in finding her.