Kate McCann breaks down in TV plea for Madeleine

Oct 25 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

KATE McCANN broke down in tears during her first televised interview since she was named as a suspect in her daughter’s disappearance.

In a rare display of emotion, missing Madeleine’s Liverpool-born mother openly wept after saying: “I feel sad and I feel lonely and our life is not as happy without Madeleine. I feel anxious she is not with us.”

Asked if she was as confident now of finding her four-year-old daughter alive as on the day she went missing, she replied: “Maybe even more so. I think she is possibly being held by someone in their house but I don’t know. As Madeleine’s mummy, I feel in my heart that she is there. I don’t know how anyone could harm anyone as beautiful as Madeleine.”

In the interview last night, the former Notre Dame pupil and her husband, Gerry, spoke to a Spanish TV channel in a bid to keep alive the campaign to find Madeleine. But the strain took its toll on the normally composed Mrs McCann, who broke down.

She became so upset cameras had to be stopped until she had recovered.

It is understood Mrs McCann, who grew up in Anfield and Allerton, decided to give the interview on the advice of private investigators in Spain. They have set up a confidential 24-hour phone line to take calls.

The McCanns chose Spanish channel Antena 3 because they wanted to target the Iberian peninsula and North Africa where there have been alleged sightings.

Mrs McCann said: “It is six months and I strongly believe Madeleine is out there and we have to do everything we can.

“We want to appeal to the people of Spain, Portugal and North Africa to help us and to tell them we have a new phone number for them to call.”

Anyone who may know of her whereabouts or who may have any information about what happened to the four-year-old is asked to phone + 34 902 300213 .

carolineinnes