KATE and Gerry McCann were starting the next phase of their hunt for Madeleine today with plans to hire a campaign manager to keep their cause in the public eye.

The couple, whose eldest daughter was abducted 41 days ago from Praia da Luz, are expected to settle into a more permanent home away from the holiday apartments where their daughter was taken.

Mr McCann has said he may well return to the UK to interview likely candidates to lead the campaign in the near future.

Their Foreign Office liaison officer Clarence Mitchell left Portugal yesterday and no new spokesman is expected to be appointed for at least a week.

A small number of relatives will stay with them in the Algarve to offer support. Mr McCann is determined to hold regular meetings with Portuguese police to be updated on the investigation.

"It will be a busy time for us behind the scenes," he said. "We will work out what we have achieved through our appeals and decide the next course of action."