What's in Kate McCann's diary?
Updated on 13 September 2007
Kate McCann's family have shed light on the contents of her diary, as Portuguese authorities seek to examine it.
The diary is among a number of personal items prosecutors want from the parents of missing Madeleine McCann, sources close to the investigation have said.
Portuguese police have passed on a request to the British authorities to take the possessions from the family's home in Rothley, Leicestershire, according to reports.
Philomena McCann, Mr McCann's sister, said she advised her sister-in-law to keep the diary to show Madeleine how much they loved her.
'She's been writing down everything that we've been doing so we can prove to Madeleine that we have worked so hard to try and find her.'Philomena McCann
She told The Sun: "I asked Kate to keep this journal because at first the Portuguese police were doing very little.
"A lot of the things that happened were only because of the family contacting the media.
"So I said to Kate that it would be a good idea if someone wrote down, for Madeleine, notes on everything that was happening, because we have to prove to Madeleine how much we looked for her and how much we love her.
"That wee girl will be thinking, 'They're not looking for me. My mummy, daddy and my aunties - they don't love me because they can't find me'.
"I was just thinking about how insecure Madeleine would be, so Kate has been keeping that journal faithfully every day.
"She's been writing down everything that we've been doing so we can prove to Madeleine that we have worked so hard to try and find her, that we've put our lives on hold to search for her and show our love for her is unending."
Ms McCann questioned why the Portuguese authorities wanted the diary now, saying: "God knows what they are expecting to find.
"And why didn't they ask for it before? It's just another way to stick the knife in."
