British police in Portugal as Madeleine inquiry 'closes;

British police have travelled to Portugal to meet the public prosecutor in the Madeleine McCann case as the inquiry apparently draws to a close.

Leicestershire Police confirmed that officers held discussions about how evidence would be disclosed at the end of the investigation into the young girl’s disappearance.

The move came amid mounting speculation that Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, will be officially cleared of involvement in their daughter’s death next week.

A Portuguese newspaper reported today that the British officers tried to stop certain information – including results of a DNA test on a sample from the McCanns’ hire car – from being made public.

The request was denied by public prosecutor Jose Cunha de Magalhaes e Meneses at a meeting in the Algarve town of Portimao yesterday, according to Correio da Manha.

Detective Superintendent Stuart Prior, the officer in charge of the British end of the inquiry, was among those at the conference, the paper said.

A Leicestershire Police spokeswoman refused to comment on the report and would not confirm which officers were in Portugal.

She said: “Since Madeleine’s disappearance we have been working closely with the Portuguese authorities, and as such officers from Leicestershire have made a number of trips to Portugal.

“Representatives from Leicestershire Constabulary are currently in Portugal to better understand how the disclosure process works following a criminal investigation in Portugal.

“This has included a meeting with the public prosecutor.”

The British officers will return to the UK within the next few days.

Mr and Mrs McCann, both 40, from Rothley, Leicestershire, remain “arguidos”, or formal suspects, in their daughter’s disappearance.

But police have found no evidence to implicate them and they will have their arguido status lifted on Monday, The Sun reported today.

An unnamed source at the Portuguese attorney-general’s office told the paper: “There have been absolutely no breakthroughs.”

The Portuguese authorities’ investigation into Madeleine’s disappearance from an Algarve holiday resort last summer appears to be coming to an end.

Detectives handed over their lengthy final report at the start of this month for prosecutors to consider whether to bring charges, request further inquiries or close the case.

In recent weeks Portuguese newspapers, citing anonymous sources, have repeatedly reported that the investigation would be shelved shortly – but could be reopened if new evidence emerged.

Portugal’s attorney-general this week fuelled expectations of a major announcement in the case.

Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro told reporters in Lisbon on Wednesday: “The ’Maddie Case’ will have a solution on Monday and you will hear of it.”

If the Portuguese authorities do shelve the case, the McCanns want their own private investigators to be given access to detectives’ files so they can continue the search for Madeleine.

The McCanns’ spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said today: “Kate and Gerry are waiting to hear what the attorney-general has to say on Monday, like everyone else, and they will not be commenting in advance in any shape or form.

“Obviously they are aware of numerous reports suggesting that the case is about to be shelved.

“If that is the case they hope that it is made very clear that their arguido status is revoked and they hope to gain access to the police files so that their private investigators can continue the search for Madeleine.

“At the end of the day that is the most important thing – finding their daughter and keeping the search going.”

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished from her family’s holiday apartment in the seaside resort of Praia da Luz on May 3 last year.

Despite a huge police investigation and massive coverage in the Portuguese and British media, she has not been found.

The third arguido in the case, Algarve property consultant Robert Murat, 34, received £600,000 (€756,726) in libel damages from four newspaper groups yesterday over “seriously defamatory” articles.

Mr Murat and the McCanns all strenuously deny any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.