Kate McCann issues direct appeal to abductors

The mother of missing Madeleine McCann issued a direct appeal to her daughter’s abductors today as she arrived at a Portuguese police station to be questioned for a second time.

Kate McCann called for those responsible for Madeleine’s disappearance to “do the right thing” and let her go, or call the police.

Mrs McCann, 39, was driven to a police station in Portimao this afternoon to undergo further questioning by detectives. She was accompanied by lawyer Carlos Pinto de Abreu,

Her husband, Gerry, will be interviewed separately tomorrow.

The interviews come amid speculation that there has been a forensic breakthrough in the case, and arrests are now imminent.

A source said information from the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham, which is testing samples taken from the holiday flat Madeleine was snatched from, has been returned to Portuguese investigators.

The couple have so far been given no briefing by police on the forensic results and it is not clear whether they are being re-interviewed in light of what the tests have shown.

The official line remains that the tests are continuing.

Justine McGuinness, the McCanns’ spokeswoman, read out a short statement at the police station this afternoon.

She said: “Today Kate McCann has returned to Portimao to be questioned by the Portuguese police to assist them in their investigations.

“Kate and Gerry are happy to help the police in their investigations to find their daughter Madeleine, as they have been since she was taken.

“Kate continues to believe that Madeleine is still alive, and to hope and pray that she will be returned soon.

“Kate is a loving, gentle mother – one of the victims in an extraordinary and terrible set of events.”

Mrs McCann’s brief statement said: “I miss Madeleine so much. Gerry and I want to appeal again to the person or people who took her or know who took her to do the right thing.

“It is not too late – please let her go or call the police.

“We came to Portugal an ordinary family of five. We just want to know what happened on May 3 and want to be able to go home one family, reunited.”

It is 126 days since four-year-old Madeleine went missing from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents dined in a nearby tapas restaurant.

Portuguese police called Mr McCann on Monday to request the interviews, specifying that his wife should be questioned first.

Mr McCann has already been interviewed twice.

It is expected that Mrs McCann’s interview will last longer than the three to four-hour one she gave officers on May 4, the day after Madeleine went missing.

The McCanns have remained in Portugal with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie to help with the search for their daughter.

They had planned to return to their home in Rothley, Leicestershire, England on Sunday, but have postponed this because of the police interviews.

A family friend stressed this was purely because of the practical issues of packing everything up and saying thank you to all the people in Praia da Luz who have helped them throughout their ordeal.

The friend said the couple were “happy” to help the police investigation and saw the interviews as a “positive development”.

“They have been asked to come to these interviews. If it develops the investigation, obviously they will stay,” the friend said.