The apartment from which Madeleine McCann was kidnapped is being hired out by holidaying families for the first time since the crime.

A couple and their young child were spotted this weekend in Apartment 5a of the Ocean Complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal, which has been empty since the abduction in May 2007.

'I saw a young family staying in the apartment, enjoying their holiday,' said a British tourist.

'They didn't seem to have a care in the world and the flat looked no different to any of the others.

Back on the market: The Ocean Complex apartment as it looks today. It has been closed since Madeleine McCann vanished from there in 2007

If I didn't know about its history I wouldn't have given it a second look.'

The British owner of the flat, Ruth McCann, 57, has been trying to sell the two-bedroom ground-floor apartment since 2007 with an asking price of £255,000 - around £50,000 less than the asking price.

Retired teacher Mrs McCann, from Liverpool, who is not related to Madeleine's family, began letting the apartment after her husband died and was planning to sell it once legal details had been sorted.

Apartment 5A: Neighbours living in the complex say they have recently seen a couple with a young child enjoying a holiday in the apartment

Crime scene: Attempts to sell the apartment have been unsuccessful. Portuguese law requires estate agents to inform buyers of previous owners

Still missing: Despite a huge police investigation, there is no evidence to suggest Madeleine has died

But she took it off the market in May this year after finding no one was interested because of its history.

She is now believed to be using rental firm the Ocean Club to let it to holidaymakers once again.

The apartment was last rented to Madeleine's parents for £1,500 a week.

Another British tourist staying at the resort added: 'I would never stay in that flat with my young family in a million years. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night as I'd be worrying about what happened.'

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished while her parents dined at a nearby restaurant.

Earlier this year Mrs McCann said a number of people had viewed the property but women particularly were put off when they found out about its past.

Under Portuguese law, estate agents have to tell prospective purchasers about the previous owners.

The police investigation at the resort ended in September 2007 and the property has been empty for the last three-and-a-half years.

A neighbour of the holiday flat recently described the empty apartment as a 'mausoleum', adding: 'The flat has never been used again since the little girl went missing.

'The shutters have stayed down and it is more like a mausoleum than the happy holiday letting it once was.'

Basic interior: A police picture of the apartment during the investigation shows tiled floors and simple furniture, typical of a holiday rental property

It would have been Madeleine's eighth birthday in May this year.

The official inquiry was shelved in July 2008, but after the McCann's recently wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron, he ordered the Metroplitan Police to carry out a review.

Despite a huge police search no evidence has been uncovered to suggest that she has died.

Mark Warner would not say if the apartment is being let through them in England.

Aerial view: The Ocean Complex in Praia de Luz. Apartment 5A is to the right of the swimming pool near the road