THE police chief sacked over the bungled hunt for Madeleine McCann is trying to get his once-banned book published in Britain.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Star Sunday, Goncalo Amaral said he is desperate to have his account of the search on sale in the UK.

And he welcomed Kate McCann's book about her daughter's disappearance, which is to be released soon.

Mr Amaral claims that Madeleine died in a Praia da Luz holiday apartment in Portugal.

Earlier this month he had an injunction banning the sale of The Truth Of The Lie lifted by the Portuguese courts.

He said: 'I have the right to publish any book in the UK and the British people have the right to be able to read and know about what may have happened on the night of May 3, 2007.'

It was then that Madeleine, aged three, vanished from the apartment and has not been seen since.

Last night the McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said they would be making no comment about Mr Amaral's plans.

Mrs McCann's book, simply titled Madeleine, is due out on what would be the child's eighth birthday, May 12.

Any proceeds will go towards funding the family's search for Maddie.