Kate McCann: 'Maddy is out there'

The appeal, shown on Spanish TV station Antena 3 last night, was the first televised interview Mrs McCann and husband Gerry have given since being made official suspects in the disappearance of four-year-old Madeleine.

The mother-of- three cried towards the end of the interview, recorded on Tuesday, as she talked about her eldest child.

"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 about the last time she saw Madeleine, she said: "She was very happy and very loving and I know Madeleine was very happy with her life. She is special."

The McCanns reportedly chose Antena 3 for the interview ahead of more well known broadcasters such as Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters because they believe their daughter is most likely to be in Spain, Portugal or north Africa.

They urged people from that region to dial +34 902 300213 for a confidential, 24-hour phone line manned by private investigators if they have any information about Madeleine. The couple have received the backing of the Portuguese police in launching the initiative, said their spokesman Clarence Mitchell.

Madeleine went missing from her family's holiday apartment, shortly before her fourth birthday, while her parents dined at a nearby tapas bar with friends.

Explaining why they were speaking out now, Mr McCann said: "The thing is we want people to come forward with any information whatsoever that can help to find her and we want them to be aware of this [phone] number."

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

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

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