GUERNSEY released a symbol of hope yesterday to mark 50 days since the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. With the blessing of her parents Gerry and Kate, local friends Lottie and Steve Evans looked on as 50 Beechwood and Acorn House schoolchildren sent 50 yellow balloons into the air, each one with a message tied to it urging the public to be on the lookout for the missing four-year-old.

It has been 50 days since Maddy went missing from her Portugal holiday apartment and while the search shows no sign of slowing down, latest reports indicate that she has been spotted in Malta.

Mr and Mrs Evans’s three- and seven-year-old sons Noah and Joel go to Acorn House. Although hopeful that Maddy will be found, Mrs Evans said that it was important to stay grounded.

‘I think there’s been hundreds of sightings all over the world,’ she said.

‘We’ve coped with it in our own way, to protect our children, and we’re not going through it in any way like Gerry and Kate.

‘Families pull together. There are lots of families that are going through this sort of thing.’

She said that the media had helped the effort to find Maddy.

‘It’s achieved something positive in very negative circumstances.’

And the mother-of-two was quick to defend Mrs McCann, who with her husband went to a nearby tapas bar leaving Maddy and her brother and sister asleep in the apartment on the night she disappeared.

‘I’ve got no comment to make to people who criticise them.

‘I know that any mum has done it – I’ve filled my car up with petrol and left the children in the car while I’ve gone in to pay.’

Clutching posters of the little girl, Mrs Evans urged people to print them off themselves and put them in their car windows.

‘It would really help, particularly if you’re driving through Europe.’

Mrs Evans said that she and her husband were in regular contact by text with the McCanns.

‘They’ve got a lot of friends and family supporting them.’

Asked when she thought she would see the couple next, she said: ‘They’re incredibly busy at the moment. For the time being, everything’s on hold.’

St Saviour’s mum Sophie Shand watched as four-year-old son Solomon released one of the balloons on the Beechwood school field.

‘For any mother, to have a child go missing is the worst possible nightmare,’ said the self-employed nutritionist.

‘It’s a moment to be prayerful and thoughtful.’

She said that it was important for everyone to be at the school showing their support, particularly as the McCann’s friends were there.

Full-time St Martin’s mum-of-three Lizzy Fitzgerald said: ‘I can’t really imagine how terrible they must feel, particularly because Maddy is the same age as one of my children.

‘Events like this are good because even the children are talking about it. It makes them understand the dangers that are out there.’

As the children did a countdown before releasing the balloons into the blue sky, Beechwood School head teacher Suzanne Battey said that it must have been very emotional for Mr and Mrs Evans.

‘The children letting off the balloons are the same age as Maddy,’ she said.

‘It brings it home to you, doesn’t it? Let’s hope the Malta sighting isn’t a false alarm and they are on track of whoever’s got her.

‘It’s any parent’s worst nightmare. Let’s hope she’s safe and sound.’

Acorn House head teacher Julie Veron said that it was important that the schools showed their support.

‘The hope is she’s still alive,’ she said.

‘We’ve told the children that Maddy’s lost. It’s a very worrying thing to tell them she’s been taken away and we’re desperate to find her.’

Article posted on 23rd June, 2007 - 12.00am