Madelaine Missing during holiday in Portugal

[Dee]

I can't believe they haven't found this little girl yet. The longer it goes on, the less chance there is of finding her. I really hope they find her soon and that she is safe & well

[Stacey.]

It's really sad.
How old is she?
I hope they find her safe & well soon. =]

[Dee]

She is only 3

[Stacey.]

Aww bless.
I saw Ronaldo made a plea for her earlier. =[

[Cat]

I keep seeing that on the news, it's so awful! Her parents left for a few hours to celebrate the end of their holiday, to come back and ifnd her gone.

But there was a lady on GMTV who the same happened to her with her newborn baby girl. She was taken for 17 days but was returned and is now happy with her mum and stuff. So there's still chance yet.

I hope she gets home.

[Dee]

So do I Cat. I can't believe the parents left her on her own in the appartment with her 2 year old brother & sister, what were they thinking??? There could've been a fire or anything. The whole point of going on holiday abroad is that you can take your kids anywhere with you, its not like here, where you can't take kids in pubs on a night time. The sad thing is, there was baby sitting facilities avialable which they didn't use. I suppose now is not the time to judge them though, they obviously feel terrible enough, I really hope they get her back. I can still remember the Ben Needham case, hes still missing. He would be 17 now and I think he was only 2 or 3 when he was taken from Cyprus.

[caz2]

We said the same thing. How could you leave 3 children alone in an apartment even though they were 100 yards away and they were checked on every half hour. You would think they would know better, with him being a heart specialist and her a GP. But I guess they are blaming themselves enough already and know they made a terrible mistake, which they have to live with. It's really sad. I hope they get her back soon. I can't begin to imagine what they are going through. Such a lovely little girl, and what a scary world we live in. So many sick people about just waiting to prey on children.

[Dee]

I know Caz, I wouldn't leave my kids alone in an appartment and my eldest is 13!! It just worries me what kind of monster has got her

[kim]

I remember the baby who was snatched 17 years ago Cat, three of my babies were born in the same hospital she was taken from

I agree Dee, I cannot believe Maddy's parents left three kids under four on their own even if they popped back every half an hour they couldn't see into the apartment, those kids could have been up to anything let alone being snatched. I remember staying at my mum's house with my girls when they were about the same age, we put them to bed upstairs and after about 10 minutes Leah the eldest came down and said Lowri was scrubbing Emily in the bath. When I went upstairs Lowri was washing Emily down in bleach We had to call an ambulance who came and washed her down in sterile water all the way to the hospital, luckily she was fine, but we were in the house and that happened in 10 minutes

I'm feel very sorry for the parents, but even sorrier for that poor child. I'm surprised they haven't had more critisism in the press, I said to Craig if they hadn't been middle class professionals people would be baying for their blood

[Dee]

I know Kim, I thought the same. but I think for once the press are being compassionate, for once, whilst Madelaine is still missing. Its unbelievable that they would leave her alone, the press made out that they could see the apartment door etc, but the NOTW showed where they were and where the appartment was and they could not see the door from where they were. They will have to live with themselves for the rest of their lives and although we all have done silly things we maybe shouldn't have done, I wouldn't like that on my concience.

[Cat]

They made a stupid mistake on leaving their kids in the appartment, but everyone makes mistakes. Their's just happens to have had a major cost to them.

Not being a parent, lol, I can't say what I'd do. But just thinking about it, I wouldn't have left my kids home alone, no matter where I was. But I suppose we just have to accept that they did and that all we can do now is hope that she gets home safely.

Omg Kim! I'm so glad she was alright!

[kim]

At last something seems to be happening:

There appears to have been a significant development in the hunt for missing Madeleine McCann, according to Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt.

Madeleine: Missing for one weekHe says Portuguese police are focusing on two men and a woman seen with a girl matching the three-year-old's description.

Officers have called a news conference for later today.

This follows reports of Madeleine's parents being driven away at speed from their apartment.

Brunt, who is in Portugal, said: "Things are happening, they could be important, there could be a big development.

"I'm also being told that a town or village has been sealed off near Seville in southern Spain. It is not a long journey to get from the Algarve across the border."

Officers have reportedly examined CCTV footage showing a girl fitting Madeleine's description with a woman and two men.

The footage was taken at a service station a few miles from the village of Praia da Luz a few days ago, on the road towards Spain.

The Portuguese newspaper, 24 Horas, said the woman was in her 40s, blonde and appeared foreign.

Brunt said police have shown a still from the CCTV to a British tourist who confirmed it showed a man he had to chase off from photographing his daughter.


Kate McCann at the serviceEarlier, a special service was held in the village church at Praia Da Luz in Portugal to mark one week since Madeleine McCann was abducted.

The three-year-old's mother, Kate, repeatedly broke down in tears and had to be supported by a friend as she listened to prayers for Madeleine's safe return.

Friends of the McCann family have also arranged a service in Merseyside tonight to pray for the little girl's safe return.

Everton FC has released a picture of Madeleine in a club shirt.

Captain Phil Neville said: "Everton has fans all over the world and I know that they, along with everyone connected with the football club, are hoping and praying for Madeleine's safe return."

A poster campaign has also been launched by Madeleine's family.

More than 23,000 copies of the poster have been downloaded from the Sky News website and the family have now made it available in French and Spanish.

news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,70131-1264945,00.html

I really hope it is positive news.

On the subject of the parents leaving her, I read today they were on holiday with three other couples, all of whom were doctors with children. Leaving the children wasn't a one off, they all did it every night. During the day they were put in the kid's club at the resort. At home the children are looked after by a nanny. What is the point of taking the children on holiday with them if they hardly had them with them??

[Cat]

I hope that they get her back to her parents. Leaving her or not, they still desrve her back.

That's kind of strange Kim. Who'd go on holiday with their kids and then just leave them with other people the whole time?

[kim]

Makes no sense to me Cat, the point of a family holiday is to spend time together

[Stacey.]

Haha my hairdresser & my mum are downstairs right now saying how they think there's something wierd about it.
I think it's a bit wierd that they just left her. I wouldn't leave a kid that young in my own home if I were to go to the shops or something, never mind on holiday surrounded by strangers. =/

& I think it's a bit unfair that just cos the guy's a..heart surgeon I think?& the mum's a GP it's alright. If that was a single parent or a teenage couple they'd probably be getting slated.