McCanns appeal to Dutch in search

The McCanns appealed for help in the search for Madeleine

The parents of Madeleine McCann have appealed to the Dutch people to help in the search for their daughter.

Gerry and Kate McCann held a press conference in Amsterdam on the final leg of a two-day trip in Europe raising awareness of Madeleine's disappearance.

"We have to do absolutely everything we can to find Madeleine and she deserves that," Mrs McCann, 38, told reporters.

The McCanns spent a year living in the city in 2004 with Madeleine, who was abducted in the Algarve 35 days ago.

This latest tour has been a difficult one, the couple has said.

Plane diverted

On the findmadeleine.com website, Mr McCann, 39, said Wednesday had left them "very tired and emotionally drained".

Before flying out of Germany, police investigating Madeleine's disappearance said they had received information.

Hastily, the McCanns onward flight to Amsterdam was diverted to the Berlin embassy where they were consulted.

It turned out to be "nothing of interest", wrote Mr McCann.

"We unfortunately had to miss two TV programmes as we arrived in Amsterdam three hours late, very tired and emotionally drained."

Friends in the Netherlands have been working behind the scenes since Madeleine was taken.

Jazz concert

Earlier that same day, the couple were asked in a press conference in Germany whether they had something to do with the four-year-old's abduction.

Mr McCann wrote on the website he was surprised by the question but hoped his answers had removed any doubt.

He told the reporter for German radio: "Without going into too much detail, we were with a large group of people, and you know there is absolutely no way Kate and I are involved in this abduction."

The McCanns are expected to fly back to the Algarve in time for a jazz concert in their daughter's name in Lagos.

While away, their young twins, Sean and Amelie, have been looked after by relatives at the Praia da Luz resort.

It is thought Madeleine was snatched from the family's apartment at the resort on 3 May while her parents were at a nearby restaurant.