Madeleine's father returns to UK

The family will be apart for the first time since the abduction

The father of missing Madeleine McCann has flown back to the UK from Portugal to meet organisers of the campaign to find his daughter.

Gerry McCann is expected to spend just over 24 hours away from his wife Kate and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

He will also deal with personal matters during the family's first time apart since Madeleine's abduction on 3 May.

Madeleine's great-uncle, Brian Kennedy, said "astonishing" public support had kept them going through "bleak" times.

Mr McCann arrived at East Midlands Airport in the early hours of Monday morning.

In addition to meeting campaign organisers, it is thought his visit will also help arrange for the family to stay in Portugal for the foreseeable future.

Quick return

Mrs McCann remains at the family's holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, where they continue to wait for news of the four-year-old.

Mr McCann will return to Portugal on Tuesday morning.

A spokeswoman for the family in the Algarve, said Mr McCann was returning "to deal with some personal matters and he will be talking to the people who are organising the fund".

She emphasised he was returning to Britain for "very practical reasons" and would return as quickly as he could.

We build our hopes up and then you find them dashed again Madeleine's great-uncle, Brian Kennedy

Mr Kennedy said Madeleine's relatives were aware of Mr McCann's "brief, private visit home" which "was mainly regarding legal matters".

He said it was the great public support that was helping the family through the "bleak moments".

He told BBC News: "We have very low periods. The press conferences that have come from Portugal haven't really told us anything.

"We build our hopes up and then you find them dashed again and that is how it goes on. It is a roller coaster at present."

Continued battle

On Saturday, the McCanns, from Rothley in Leicestershire, let cameras capture them laughing with two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, as they continue to battle to stay strong for their other children.

Mr McCann told the Press Association news agency about the family's life in Praia da Luz, as they wait for news.

Meanwhile, money has poured in to the Find Madeleine fighting fund.

The latest total is £73,505 - which includes £50,000 from Portsmouth Football Club - but does not include money collected by banks and building societies and cheques yet to clear.

An appeal for Madeleine was screened at the FA Cup final

A website set up to find the missing child has received around 100 million hits and 50,000 messages of support since its launch on Wednesday.

Police have confirmed their only suspect, Briton Robert Murat, had phone contact with a key witness on the night the little girl disappeared.

A Russian man, Sergey Malinka, reportedly told detectives that he and Mr Murat had not spoken for a year.

But police sources have now confirmed to the BBC that the men had telephone contact on the night Madeleine disappeared.

Chief Inspector Olegario de Sousa has said he did not have the evidence to arrest Mr Murat, 33, who denies any involvement.

Details of how to donate to Madeleine's Fund - at banks, by post or via the internet - can be found at www.findmadeleine.com.