Family of Madeleine lookalike have right to privacy, police say

Madeleine McCann. Photo / Supplied

Dunedin police have moved to protect the privacy of a family group mistakenly identified with missing British girl Madeleine McCann.

Acting Southern District Commander Inspector Dave Campbell said last night a child identified by a former Warehouse checkout operator in South Dunedin was not Madeleine, and asked that media stop running an image of the family group she was seen with.

"We ask that media outlets remove the image portraying the child and family from their coverage including websites to protect the privacy of the family," Mr Campbell said.

The girl in the image had been positively identified as not Madeleine.

The identification claim resulted in the international media spotlight focusing on Dunedin as interest was revived in the disappearance of 4-year-old Madeleine in Portugal in May 2007.

Meanwhile, further possible sightings of the girl in Dunedin and Otago have surfaced, with a couple "80 per cent confident" they saw her last August.

Balclutha couple Michael Griffiths and Mary Habib said yesterday they believe they twice saw a girl resembling Madeleine on the morning of August 6 in Dunedin and nearby Milton in the afternoon. The girl was with a man aged between 35 and 40.

They reported the sightings to Balclutha police later that night.

Mr Griffiths and the police also notified the official Madeleine McCann website, www.findmadeleine.com.

Mr Griffiths said yesterday no reply had been received from police or the website.

A Balclutha police spokesman confirmed yesterday police had investigated the sightings, with the information forwarded to Dunedin police.

"I am 80 per cent confident it was her," Mr Griffiths said.

"I am 80 per cent-plus," Ms Habib said.

Police confirmed there have been several other sightings of Madeleine in Otago, but declined to release that information.

The Otago Daily Times understands sightings of Madeleine in Alexandra and Queenstown have been reported to police.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES