Madeleine Witness Claim Refuted

There is still confusion over the importance of a witnesses' claim to have spotted the girlfriend of one-time suspect Robert Murat "with Madeleine McCann" two days after she vanished from her family's holiday apartment last year.

A new witness has identified Michaela Walczuch as a woman seen with the missing girl in central Portugal about 100 miles from where she disappeared on May 3, a claim Ms Walczuch consistently denies.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, who hired Spanish private detective agency Metodo 3 to help find their daughter, have been told of the reported sighting, which is being investigated by private detective Francisco Marco.

However, German-born Ms Walczuch, 32, has already told Portuguese detectives exactly where she was on the evenings before and after Madeleine's disappearance.

Any suggestion that Ms Walczuch was involved in the case was "ridiculous", and she is set to "deny that 100 per cent."

Meanwhile, with some fresh hope for the New Year, the McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell said the private detectives say they are certain that she is still alive.

The investigators claim theories that the four-year-old was killed in her family's holiday apartment in Portugal are wrong.

Meanwhile, the McCanns, are both still official suspects in her disappearance, despite having hired agency Metodo3 in September to boost efforts to find their daughter.

Chief Detective, Mr Marco, head of a 40-strong-team, said: "We have a six-month agreement with the McCanns.

"We have already spent a month and a half working. I will find her before that period is up."

And he is certain Mr and Mrs McCann had nothing to do with Madeleine's disappearance.

"Our staff interviewed the McCanns for ten hours - enough time for us to tell if they were trying to fool us.

"My specialists assure me they are not hiding anything. I would not risk the prestige this agency has gained over 23 years without being convinced there is a case," he said.

(BMcC)