THE aunt of missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann yesterday dismissed claims that drawings posted on a psychic website could hold the key to finding her young niece.

Philomena McCann said the rough sketches, which were drawn by a former American soldier who claims he is able to draw predictions from his dreams, had been investigated by the authorities.

"Those drawings have been checked out," she said. "It's nonsense, there's nothing in it. We must have had hundreds of things like that sent to us. We have been contacted by thousands of mediums from all over the world who claim to know something. There's nothing in it."

The website, www.brianspredictions.com, was developed by Brian Ladd, a 38-year-old father-of-two from West Virginia.

He says he started "dream drawings" three years ago after he began using a relaxation CD, which helps people achieve deep sleep. He says on his website that he is unsure how it works, but "almost 100% of these dreams seem to come true".

Recently, under the Missing People section, Mr Ladd started posting all the " dream drawings" he has had about Madeleine McCann.

He claims he had a dream about Madeleine on the same day she went missing and posted his drawing on the site. He says he was unaware of her abduction until two days later.

The series of drawings feature random words, brief descriptions and rough sketches of people and buildings and are dated from the day she went missing, May 3, up to May 23.

Site members passed the prediction on to police and the McCanns.

Mr Ladd said on his website that he contacted the McCann family, but they have not contacted him back.

But there is one message from a Phil McCann which says: "Dear Brian, many (sic) people have been referring me to your website. It does seem interesting. phil mccann (sic)."

When asked if she was the writer, Ms McCann only said the website had been checked out and there was "nothing in it".

She also said one of the drawings of a building posted on the site was actually the building where many of the world's media were staying.