The parents of Madeleine McCann have marked her 20th birthday by vowing they are “never going to give up” in the search for their missing daughter.

Kate and Gerry McCann made the pledge in a heartfelt message on the official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page.

Madeleine was aged three when she disappeared from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal on 3 May 2007.

The 16th anniversary of her disappearance was marked by her family earlier this month.

Despite a high-profile international campaign and a police investigation costing millions of pounds, no trace has ever been found of her.

Wishing Madeleine a happy birthday alongside her picture, her parents, of Rothley, Leicestershire, wrote: “We love you and we are waiting for you.

“We are never going to give up.”

A short message above said: “Still missing. Still very much missed. Still looking.

“For as long as it takes…”

Read more:
Madeleine McCann’s parents lose legal battle over detective’s accusations
‘Distressing’ burger advert banned for making light of Madeleine McCann

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

The Facebook post linked to a YouTube video showing a picture montage of the youngster together with images of her parents during their long campaign to find her.

Last month, a German court said it had decided not to hear a sex offences case against a man who is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine.

Prosecutors in the northern city of Braunschweig in October had charged Christian Brueckner in several separate cases involving sexual offences allegedly committed in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.

But the court decided not to hear the case because the region where it is located is not the last place where Brueckner lived in Germany.

Brueckner, who has reportedly denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance, was identified as a murder suspect in the McCann case by Portuguese officials in June 2020.

Related posts:

UK reports another 40 coronavirus deaths and 2,678 cases Prioritising COVID booster jabs over vaccinating children will ‘reduce deaths and hospitalisations’ Nearly 200 people fall ill with salmonella poisoning linked to pork scratching factory BBC journalist Amol Rajan apologises for ‘rude and immature’ comments about royals Stranded British travellers face spending Christmas in COVID quarantine hotels ‘The system is so unjust’: Police should be compelled to tell truth by law, bereaved families say Rishi Sunak asks PM to refer him to adviser on ministers’ interests Migrant crossings double as more than 8,000 have made it to UK this year England’s all-time record women’s goalscorer announces her retirement ‘Her life has been stolen’: Family pay tribute to Basildon mum after police find body Man arrested on suspicion of murdering Elle Edwards in pub on Christmas Eve CCTV shows thieves snatch £60,000 diamond ring then flee in getaway car