'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

by NickE 22.06.16 19:30

[size=36]'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort[/size]

Nicole Shuttleworth was aged three when her parents foiled Algarve kidnapper 13 years before McCann case

[size=15]BY FELIX ALLEN

22nd June 2016, 5:51 pm[/size]
A WOMAN who was saved from a child snatcher in Portugal 13 years before Madeleine McCann went missing has revealed: “It could easily have been me.”
Nicole Shuttleworth, 25, was just three years old when her mum woke to see a dark intruder reaching into her cot in their Algarve hotel room.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Nicole Shuttleworth bore a striking resemblance to Madeleine McCann aged three
Her case has chilling echoes of Madeleine, who was also three when she vanished from her parents’ holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007.
Nine years on, Madeleine is still missing and the police seem no closer to serving the mystery.
But in 1994, Nicole was holidaying with her cleaner mum Lilian and painter decorator dad Stephen in Albufeira, 45 minutes away from Praia Da Luz.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
An intruder tried to grab Nicole Shuttleworth from her cot in an Algarve resort 45 minutes from Praia da Luz in 1994
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Nicole was on a family holiday in Albufeira when the intruder sneaked into their hotel room
Photos show the blonde youngster bore a striking resemblance to Madeleine at the time the pervert tried to snatch her.
One night Lilian, now 53, woke up to a dark male figure standing over Nicole’s cot reaching in to grab her.
Lilian let out a “blood-curdling scream” which woke her husband Stephen, now 58, who chased the intruder off.
As there was no sign of a break in, the family believed the would-be abductor used hotel keys to enter their room – something the hotel denied.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
The shaken family moved to another hotel that day as they could not bear to stay in the room after what happened.
In 2007, when the family heard of the devastating news of Madeline McCann, they got in touch with investigators to offer up information in case there was a link with their experience.
Incredibly, despite contacting them twice they only got a call back eight years later.
Today Nicole is a mum herself to son Charlie, 15 months, and wants to share her story to warn other parents.
Nicole said: “I remember snippets, but my mum and dad filled me in.
“We shudder at the thought of what might have happened had my mum never woken up.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Nicole Shuttleworth wants to warn other parents to be vigilant
“As a mum, to wake up to an empty cot would be agonising.
“A dark figure was watching over my cot and reaching in touching me. My mum let out a blood curdling scream and woke my dad who chased them away.
“When news broke about Maddie we were all in shock. We wanted to offer as much info as we could.
“We were so surprised no one contacted us back, we only received a call back eight years later.
“My heart goes out to the McCanns. It is a lot to go through for any family, but their result was a lot more devastating than ours.
“People must be aware of the dangers that are there home or away. We must look out and after our children.
“I am so blessed that I am here to share this horror story.”
In April, Scotland Yard said its £11m Operation Grange probe into Madeleine’s disappearance would end within months as detectives have run out of leads to follow.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

by sar 22.06.16 19:37

wow!!!! so "dangerous" it's not been mentioned in over 20 years????

by pennylane 22.06.16 19:40

OMG [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by canada12 22.06.16 19:47

Maybe this is where Kate and Gerry got the idea to claim "abduction"...

by pennylane 22.06.16 19:53

So it happened 22 years ago. That's spooky! nails

by jeanmonroe 22.06.16 20:02

I wonder 'which' will 'run out' first?

The Scum's 'summer holiday' erm, 'supply' of 'stories' OR OG's taxpayer 'money'!

Never 'seem' to be WINTER 'stories' of kids, NEARLY being 'snatched', from their ski 'chalets'!

by pennylane 22.06.16 20:07

jeanmonroe wrote:I wonder 'which' will 'run out' first?

The Scum's 'supply' of 'stories' OR OG's 'money'!

Methinks the second one. wave

by jeanmonroe 22.06.16 20:19

Photos show the blonde youngster bore a striking resemblance to Madeleine at the time the pervert tried to snatch her.
-----------------------------

Really, REALLY?

Are the Scum 'inviting' us to 'compare' between the two?

IMO, Nicole is 'prettier'!

There, I've said it!

jta: 'comparison': So KM 'saw' a dark 'intruder' reaching into Madeleine's 'bed' in her holiday apartment, did she?

First i have 'heard' of 'that'! winkwink

by Mirage 22.06.16 20:33

No one contacted them!!!! For eight years!!!

At least they got a call back in the end. Remember the hotline set up for the McCanns by Halligen? Loads of people ringing in with information as requested - maybe with that small piece of the jigsaw Kate kept banging on about. And... shock, horror!! Not one person got a return call. And what's more, the duo never queried why there were no calls being forwarded to them.

Dear Sun journalist,
Please rearrange the following words into a well known phrase or saying without burning out your one remaining brain cell:

Not morning this we were born all

by mysterion 22.06.16 20:43

As a young family, we had many Euro holidays. TheAlgarve (25 years ago) was the only place where a rep warned our group about night time burglaries. On the 3rd night a woman had her handbag stolen whilst she was in bed. There was no special warnings about abductions. The rep blamed it on "gypsies".

by petunia 22.06.16 21:06

OMG that's dreadful,does an intruder/ potential abductor have time to watch over their victim? or do they just snatch them and run? them there potential abductors have have missed there vocation in life cos they run away that fast that not one of these parents have ever been able to catch them,they would be awash with gold medals if they had competed in the olympics and 2007 she would of been just 16 years old what a load of POPPYCOCK CLARENCE.

by pennylane 22.06.16 21:10

No doubt Nicole Shuttleworth's alive today because her parents hadn't left her alone to go out on the lash.

by petunia 22.06.16 21:20

No doubt she's still alive today cos her story probably did't happen the way she said it did? a bit like Kate's son asking his mum if it was true what he heard on the school bus.

by **sharonl** 22.06.16 21:26

Any relation to Ed Smethursts' friend and guardian, Alvin Shuttleworth? Funny how this story should suddenly emerge now, it probably hasn't see the light of day before. I wonder if it really happened or is it just another story that the media have bought?

The photograph used to claim a resemblance to Madeleine is a bit too much of a co-incidence IMO, especially as this is supposed to have happened 13yrs before.

Talking of coincidences and likeness, I googled this woman and found this picture somehow (but I don't know how) associated with her

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

by notlongnow 22.06.16 21:37

Is a picture from her FB page

by **sharonl** 22.06.16 21:48

notlongnow wrote:Is a picture from her FB page

Yes.

by notlongnow 22.06.16 21:56

Wonder why/how the story has been brought up now?
Feels a bit close to the bottom of the barrel.

by HelenMeg 22.06.16 22:14

It seems that desperate times are calling...

by Guest 22.06.16 22:55

22 years ago?? This is bizarre, even for the Sun. The question has to be asked. Why?

by Guest 22.06.16 22:56

notlongnow wrote:Wonder why/how the story has been brought up now?
Feels a bit close to the bottom of the barrel.

I think they found this one under the barrel. Bizarre.

by **sandancer** 22.06.16 22:58

I suppose the papers are so full of the E.U referendum , football they've got to find a way of keeping their name out there ?

After all the "fund " is getting low and they might have to pay a few court costs so they cannot really afford to fork out another £500,000 to keep their names on the front pages any more can they big grin

by Guest 22.06.16 23:03

sandancer wrote:I suppose the papers are so full of the E.U referendum , football they've got to find a way of keeping their name out there ?

After all the "fund " is getting low and they might have to pay a few court costs so they cannot really afford to fork out another £500,000 to keep their names on the front pages any more can they

This story will get hidden amongst all the eu news so what's the point of it?

by **sandancer** 22.06.16 23:14

melisande wrote:
sandancer wrote:I suppose the papers are so full of the E.U referendum , football they've got to find a way of keeping their name out there ?

After all the "fund " is getting low and they might have to pay a few court costs so they cannot really afford to fork out another £500,000 to keep their names on the front pages any more can they
This story will get hidden amongst all the eu news so what's the point of it?

What's the point of it ?
I wish I knew !

by Guest 22.06.16 23:31

Maybe it has something to do with the bad press Justice Hogg is getting at the moment and her link to Madeleine McCann. Distraction? Maybe they don't want people comparing Ellie's parents on the This Morning programme to Gerry and Kate?

by worriedmum 23.06.16 0:52

quote “When news broke about Maddie we were all in shock. We wanted to offer as much info as we could.We were so surprised no one contacted us back, we only received a call back eight years later.''unquote

For me this is the most telling part of the whole article, and one I know our British investigative journalists will thoroughly explore...

by MayMuse 23.06.16 2:39

Uworriedmum wrote:quote “When news broke about Maddie we were all in shock. We wanted to offer as much info as we could.We were so surprised no one contacted us back, we only received a call back eight years later.''unquote

For me this is the most telling part of the whole article, and one I know our British investigative journalists will thoroughly explore...

Offer as much information as they could, who did they contact ?

In 2007, when the family heard of the devastating news of Madeline McCann, they got in touch with investigators to offer up information in case there was a link with their experience.
Incredibly, despite contacting them twice they only got a call back eight years later.

Now which "investigators" would that be?

Dave Edgar & co?
The PJ?
Or UK police?

Big difference in saying investigators to the police don't ya think? Leaves something to the imagination big grin

Not sure whether I believe this story, has a certain pinky tone to it spin

but if true and they contacted the McCann investigators we shouldn't be surprised no one got back to them for eight long years.
Expect though, that this was a nice little earner:nah:
IMO

by **sharonl** 23.06.16 6:48

worriedmum wrote:quote “When news broke about Maddie we were all in shock. We wanted to offer as much info as we could.We were so surprised no one contacted us back, we only received a call back eight years later.''unquote

For me this is the most telling part of the whole article, and one I know our British investigative journalists will thoroughly explore...

Why on earth would anyone be interested in something that happened 13 years earlier? If it did happen.

That lookalike picture that they used is a give away. Does the abductor walk around for 13 years looking for a child that resembles an image that he carries around?

I wonder how much the gutter press pay for these little stories. We know that this goes on because Antonio Jiminez Razo was caught doing this in Morocco.

It's all rubbish

by Rogue-a-Tory 23.06.16 10:02

If only the Shuttleworths from, errrr, nowhere had got in touch sooner.

Or even reported their story prior to 2007 the McCanns could have taken appropriate action thereby avoiding the ~~disappearance~~ abduction of the ~~child~~ Madeleine. Maybe Kate & Gerry should sue the Shuttleworths, the dereliction of their duty clearly led to the abduction and hampered the search.

by jeanmonroe 23.06.16 11:45

Does anyone 'know'?

Did the McCan'ts 're-kindle' their friendship, after Sept 2007, back in the UK, with their 'warm, funny, instantly likeable, friend' CF after they 'did a runner' back to the UK, after being made 'arguido/arguida'?

The same CF that 'that cheered us up and kept us smiling'?

I would find it 'odd', personally, if they didn't.

Does Lady Freud ever 'mention' that CF had the McCan'ts erm, 'visit'him, after their 'return' to UK, in 2007, until his demise in 2009?

Did the McCan'ts 'attend' the funeral of their 'warm, funny, friend' in April 2009?

We 'know' there was still a 'connection' to the Freud 'family', in 2008/9, because MF gave C Mitchell (McCan'ts 'spokesman') 'a job'.

('WHY', MF did 'that', is anybody's 'guess')

Did MF 'invite' K£GM to his father's funeral, being that they were good 'friends' with his father?

I'm 'sure' Clammy 'would have' invited them to 'visit' him in the UK, (why 'wouldn't' he?) just to 'cheer them up', with his lugubrious 'wit'

There are 'more' questions, than answers, with the McCan'ts 'friendship' with CF, imo.

Perhaps Lady Freud will 'enlighten' us!

by **sharonl** 23.06.16 12:01

Rogue-a-Tory wrote:If only the Shuttleworths from, errrr, nowhere had got in touch sooner.

Or even reported their story prior to 2007 the McCanns could have taken appropriate action thereby avoiding the ~~disappearance~~ abduction of the ~~child~~ Madeleine. Maybe Kate & Gerry should sue the Shuttleworths, the dereliction of their duty clearly led to the abduction and hampered the search.

From Bury, I think, Smethurst and Alvin Shuttleworth land but I would have to check that.

'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Re: 'IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME' Chilling echoes of Madeleine McCann as mum tells how an intruder tried to snatch her from her cot at Portugal resort

Latest topics