Calm, laid-back, loving and happy. Away from the headlines and the horrors, this is how Kate McCann's friends knew her to be with her children.

Yesterday, at the end of a week in which Kate has been described as 'struggling' to cope with three 'hysterical' children and short-tempered with Madeleine, two of her oldest friends, Linda McQueen and Nicky Gill, have spoken out in her defence - and told of her heartbreak and devastation.

Nicky said: "The things that have been said are unfair and hurtful. It's frustrating for Kate and Gerry that anything is taking the focus away from Madeleine and away from the search for her.

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"At the bottom of all this, Kate is a mother who has lost her daughter and she needs all the help she can get. Kate is a warm, loving, loyal friend.

"We're her friends. We'll do whatever it takes. We'll continue to support and help right to the end."

The 39-year-old personal trainer, who lives in the Liverpool suburb of Childwall, has known Kate since they met at the age of six on their first day of school.

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"If anybody was meant to have three children under the age of three, it was Kate," she said. "She's so cool, calm and laidback. I never saw her run ragged once. She was just so happy."

Nicky also defended Gerry, who had been described as 'absent' when it came to child care. She said: "Gerry is a fabulous dad. He's a working father but very hands-on. He's like a fourth kid, rolling around with them in a very rough-and-tumble way, and with a fabulous sense of humour.

"He and Kate balance each other really well. They have a very special relationship."

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Linda McQueen, a 45-year-old teacher from Formby, Merseyside, has also known Kate since they were children. She said: "The family had a great routine - their mealtimes, bedtimes and bathtimes in particular were great fun.

"We holidayed with them as part of a big group earlier in the year. It was just lovely."

Having a large family was, Linda explained, something of which Kate always dreamed. "They were up and down about whether they could have children and then they went through IVF so Madeleine, all of the children, was a dream come true."

Nicky added: "It seems so cruel that this happened to them just when they had all they wanted."
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Both women have been in close contact with Kate and Gerry since Madeleine disappeared from their villa in Praia da Luz on May 3. Yesterday Linda recalled how she had spoken to Kate at about 2am on the night Madeleine vanished.

"She just said, 'Somebody's taken Madeleine, somebody's taken Madeleine.' She sounded shocked and frantic and was just trying to get everything up and running to find her. It was just awful. This cold, icy feeling came over you."

Nicky spoke to Kate the next day, by which time "she was exhausted, physically and emotionally".

The McCanns have been criticised by some for a 'too slick' publicity campaign to try to find their daughter.

But Linda said: "Kate and Gerry were so traumatised that they went into a cocoon in the first couple of days. But all the advice they were being given was, 'Get Madeleine's face out there.' So that's what they did. They will do whatever it takes to find her."

Nicky said: "I think Kate has done extremely well. It's horrendous. She is the kindest, most caring person. But the frustration is that every day spent talking about Kate and Gerry is another not finding Madeleine."

Linda added: "They're an amazing couple. They have their vulnerable times and their dark moments.

"But Kate can't let Madeleine down and we'll get through it.

"I think it's only a small minority who are critical of Kate. The rest are sticking with us and keeping Madeleine in their prayers.

"We need to refocus on Madeleine. That's the most important thing to Kate - to get the focus back on Madeleine."