No police force is looking for Maddy and it's wrong, say Kate and Gerry McCann

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


It is every parent's worst nightmare – your child disappearing without trace.
Madeleine McCann was just days away from her fourth birthday when she went missing from her family's holiday apartment in Portugal, exactly three years ago today.
Although the McCanns' campaign to bring their daughter home might not be splashed all over the front pages every day, as it was when she went missing, their search continues with the same intensity.
The couple, who live in Rothley with their five-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, are calling for a review of the case and are waiting to hear back from the Home Office.

"No police force is actively doing anything for Madeleine and we think that's completely unacceptable," says Gerry. "We think it's essential there is a complete review of the case, with all the information put in one place."
The McCann's private investigators "strongly believe" there is new information and areas where further investigation is needed.
"We're driving the search and we're never going to give up, but our chances would be greater if the authorities helped us," says Gerry. "And we've had the capability to react in ways that others couldn't, so what would happen to other families? It's wrong."
The fund set up to support the search currently stands at about £500,000.
In November, two age-progression pictures, showing how Madeleine might look now, were released to renew the campaign.
The pictures now feature on packs of luggage tags and posters, which holiday-makers can carry while they are abroad.
"It was emotional to see those pictures as we have a picture of our Madeleine in our heads," says Kate. "It's so important because it's a reminder that we're not looking for a three-year-old, she's nearly seven. We're really grateful to anyone who will take it. Because it just takes one person to recognise her."
"We don't know when someone will come forward with information," says Gerry. "Some of the circumstances in other cases, you think it's just unbelievable – Jaycee Lee Dugard, Natascha Kampusch."
Later this month, police will unveil a new nationwide alert system to help rescue abducted children.
Do her parents think Madeleine would be with them today had the system existed in 2007?
"It could only have helped."
Not only have the McCanns had to deal with the trauma of losing Madeleine, but they have also faced countless accusations that they were in some way responsible.
Earlier this year, the Rothley couple launched a successful legal action against former Portuguese detective Goncalo Amaral after he claimed Madeleine had died in their apartment.
In 2008, the couple accepted a £550,000 libel settlement from Express Newspapers following 100 "grotesque and grossly defamatory allegations" in the Daily Express, Daily Star, Sunday Express and the Daily Star Sunday.
"You do get a tougher skin," says Gerry. "But it's so hard to say exactly how distressing it was to see the really terrible things that were being written.
"We tried very hard behind the scenes, visited editors – the Chief Constable of Leicestershire wrote to papers asking them to stop.
"We were left with very little choice."
Although they continue to face day after desperate day without Madeleine, Gerry says the support from people in Leicestershire has made a difference.
"One of my most vivid memories when we came back from Portugal was, we were out walking around Rothley and a workman in his van tooted the horn and gave us a thumbs up and shouted, 'We don't believe all the rubbish that's been written.'
"The schools, parents, people in shops, the churches in Rothley, they've all done so much."
After three years, Kate and Gerry may not be any closer to finding Madeleine, but one thing is for certain – they will never give up.
"I don't think any parent could," says Gerry.

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I wonder whether they ever get sicked of hearing themselves?

I wonder if they ever kick themselves for letting the deadline pass for keeping the investigation open? They've got a damn cheek to be whinging about how no police force is looking for Maddie when they did bugger all to keep the case open.