THE parents of Madeleine McCann have had an emotional first meeting with other families of missing children.

Liverpool-born Kate and Gerry McCann took part in an event to mark International Missing Children’s Day yesterday, alongside relatives of Katrice Lee, who was two when she disappeared in Germany more than 27 years ago.

The couple spoke of how they could not bear to meet other families in their situation in the days and weeks after Madeleine vanished from Portugal, in May, 2007, but now drew strength from sharing their experiences.

Sitting next to Katrice’s sister, Natasha, and mother, Sharon, Mrs McCann said: “It’s easy to meet families where children have been found because that gives you hope.

“But, obviously, emotionally it is quite difficult to put yourself in a situation where a child has been missing for years and years.

“Obviously now it is easier, and I have to say it’s been a comfort.”

Her husband added: “Early on, Kate and I couldn’t even entertain the idea of speaking to another family whose child was still missing, particularly for a long time, because you think, ‘I just hope we don’t get there’.”

The McCanns also revealed they have been supported by letters from other relatives of missing children, including the family of Daniel Morcombe, who was 13 when he disappeared from the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland, Australia, on December 7, 2003.