Madeleine McCann police funds extended for six months

Madeleine McCannPA

Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing in 2007

Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have been granted £85,000 to extend the search for a further six months.

The Home Office funding is to extend the probe, known as Operation Grange, between April and September this year.

Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in May 2007 aged three.

The extra funding has been earmarked for operational costs.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have vowed to "never give up" hope of finding their daughter.

Since 2011, the Metropolitan Police has been assisting with the search for clues about what happened to the toddler, with officers visiting the holiday resort in 2014.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Following an application from the Metropolitan Police for Special Grant funding, the Home Office has confirmed £85,000 in operational costs for Operation Grange for the period 1 April until September 2017.

"As with all applications, the resources required are reviewed regularly and careful consideration is given before any new funding is allocated."

Thursday 3 May 2007: Timeline

  • 20:30 Kate and Gerry McCann leave their apartment to have dinner at a Tapas bar

  • 21:05 Gerry McCann checks on Madeleine and her siblings

  • 22:00 A man is seen carrying a child wearing pyjamas heading towards the ocean (E-fit images of the suspect were released as part of a 2013 Crimewatch appeal)

  • 22:00 Kate McCann raises the alarm that Madeleine has gone missing

Clickable map and timeline

To date a total of £11.1m has been spent on Operation Grange.

Met Police said: "The investigation is ongoing. We are not prepared to discuss any lines of inquiry while the investigation is ongoing."

There is one person who was near the area where Madeleine went missing who police want to speak to, the Sunday Express reported.

The paper said there has been an international search to find the person.

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