Madeleine McCann: Fund still going strong, six months on

Nov 5 2007

THE parents of Madeleine  McCann joined 200 people  at a prayer vigil for their  daughter, six months after  she vanished.

Gerry and Liverpool-born Kate McCann, both  39, spent an hour at a  service in a church near  their home in Rothley,  Leicestershire.

Vicar the Rev Rob  Gladstone led special  prayers at 9.30pm – the  time Madeleine vanished  on May 3 while on holiday  with her parents in  Portugal.

Other missing children  –  including British toddler  Ben Needham, who went  missing while on holiday  in Greece in 1991 –  were  also remembered at the  service.

Madeleine’s parents  arrived in a car driven by  Mr McCann. They held  hands as they arrived and  left the 700-year-old  church of St Mary & St  John.

Above an arch over the  gateway to the church  was written a verse from  the Book of Matthew  which said: “Watch  therefore: for ye know  neither the day nor the  hour.”

Mr and Mrs McCann said nothing but Madeleine’s great uncle,  Brian Kennedy, said as he  left the church: “It was a  very uplifting service.  Obviously this is a very  emotional time for them,  but I think they are  standing up very well.”

Family friend Val  Armstrong added: “They  are so resolute in this.

“The conviction they  have is that she is still  alive and we have to  believe that.” Mr  Gladstone said a special  verse, called A Rothley  Prayer, at the service. It

The prayer was based on a verse from Hebrews and included the line:  “Comfort and liberate all  those, especially young  children who have been  taken from their families  against their will, give  courage to their grieving  families.”

The McCanns’ younger  children – Sean and  Amelie – did not attend.  They had visited the  church earlier in the day  with their parents in  private.
 A similar service was held in Woolton.