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Madeleine McCann's father has returned to Britain for the first time since his daughter's disappearance to meet campaign organisers and discuss whether private detectives might be used across Europe in the hunt for the 4-year-old.
Gerry McCann left his wife, Kate, with the couple's twins at the resort where Madeleine disappeared 19 days ago for a flying visit to Leicestershire and is to return early tomorrow morning. .
Madeleine's great-uncle, Brian Kennedy, told the Portuguese newspaper Correira de Manha that the family was considering calling in British detectives - though not immediately, out of "respect for the Portuguese authorities".
Another family member, Michael Wright, indicated last week that money from the Madeleine fighting fund might be diverted to "the detection process."
A family spokeswoman in Portugal said the McCanns, who are said to be convinced that their daughter is outside Portugal, are prepared to leave Praia da Luz and travel around Europe to boost efforts to find Madeleine.
"They are looking at everything and at what's right," she said. "If it means going around Europe to meet people and talk to people then they will do it."
The importance of having resources outside Portugal became clear at the weekend when police indicated that dozens of sightings of Madeleine - from Spain to Switzerland - were impeding their inquiry.
A woman who reported seeing Madeleine in southern Spain last week claimed local police had shown no interest in what she was saying.
Though the McCanns have continually stated their confidence in Portuguese police, experienced detectives in Britain are astonished by some aspects of the inquiry and are willing to step in to help.
The investigation of the main suspect, Briton Robert Murat, has been haphazard, they say, citing the way Murat's villa was searched last week.
Officers apparently emptied a shredder during the search, tried to piece together the paper but abandoned the task and left the shredder behind.
Mark Williams Thomas, a former British child protection officer, who is ready to place his team of detectives at the McCanns' disposal, said that was one of many flaws.
"You would obviously take a shredder away," he said.
"There might be potential to place something under the microscope, to establish if there is something hand-written."
- INDEPENDENT
