McCanns in limbo amid claims Madeleine case to be closed

KATE and Gerry McCann were left in limbo last night amid reports that Portuguese authorities are closing the investigation into the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine.

The couple welcomed the prospect of having their official suspect status lifted, but expressed fears that police would stop looking for the little girl.

Portuguese newspapers yesterday reported the case was to be shelved because detectives had failed to find enough evidence to charge anyone. But Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro, Portugal's attorney-general, insisted no decision had been taken.

Madeleine vanished from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on 3 May last year, sparking a major police investigation.

Detectives made Mr and Mrs McCann "arguidos" – formal suspects – in their daughter's disappearance.

Clarence Mitchell, the McCanns' spokesman, demanded the Portuguese authorities lift the arguido status. And he urged police not to leave case files to "gather dust" and called for them to be passed to the McCanns' own detectives to continue the search.