Having a six year old daughter, this is something that really affected me from the start. I just couldn’t and still can’t get the thought of it out of my head. We also holidayed in Portugal this year just down the road from where she was taken and so other than it chilling my blood every time I think about it or see the news, it seemed uncomfortably close.

If the latest rumours are to be believed and whether the blood they have found belongs to Madeleine or not, I can’t believe the Portuguese police did not find that on day one. Although the McCann parents are quick to praise the police and their “investigation”, I think they are probably doing that just to keep in with the police to keep them doing something/anything. The Portuguese police seem to have no idea about anything or what to do. To me their “policy” of not revealing anything to the public is just a cover-up for their immense incompetence. If blood on a wall is not a striking clue or starting point, I’m struggling to think what clues would have made any sense to them – muddy footprints or the intruder dropping their driving license? With those clowns in charge, I’m surprised they manage to find their patrol car. I do hope the British police are now taking over, as seems to be the case.