As the 7th Madeleine disappearance anniversary approaches, a British newspaper has been slammed for publishing an ‘old story’ masquerading as a new lead.

The Daily Mirror reported on Saturday that detectives “working hard” on Operation Grange are trying to trace five mystery Britons who owned flats in the block in Praia da Luz from which Madeleine vanished on May 3, 2007.

It is a story that first appeared in 2013, in the same paper - although then detectives were only looking for FOUR apartment owners.

Said one critic, a retired British policeman who has been closely following the Metropolitan Police investigation since it began nearly three years ago: “Is this really the sum total of another year’s ‘hard work’?

“Has Scotland Yard spent another million, eight more visits to the PJ and a whole year - NOT finding out who owns those apartments? Honestly?”

According to the policeman, the source for this latest rehash story - “as well as all the others that have preceded it” - is the McCann’s press spokesman, Clarence Mitchell.

In 2008, Mitchell was described by former Portuguese police federation chief Carlos Anjos as a man who “lies with as many teeth as he has in his head”.

“Mitchell is still clearly in charge of this rubbish”, the retired policeman told Algarve Resident. “Why does no one expose him?”

This latest criticism came on the same day that the Algarve Resident received a call from local people in Luz asking us NOT to make any reference to the looming anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance.

“Every year it is the same”, the principal caller complained. “We are really appealing to you to not carry anything on the day. Just let it pass. If things go on as they are, newspapers will still be writing about this story in 25 years time!”

It is a valid point, but as a recent story on attitudes in Praia da Luz showed (see our printed edition of April 2, or http://portugalresident.com/%E2%80%98pl ... ea-as-ma...) opinions on the mystery remain divided.

Much as locals may wish for an end to the media spotlight, interest in the story remains astonishing - hence the never-ending repeat revelations, particularly in the British media.

This latest by the Mirror centres on the apparent unwillingness of the five British apartment owners to cooperate with Operation Grange.

And a new message within the body of the text highlights "the frustrations" that are reportedly growing every day between British police and their Portuguese counterparts.

Says the Mirror, Grange detectives are “having to tread on eggshells”.

“They would happily go round Praia da Luz and knock on doors asking everybody for information if they could, but they are still waiting for permission on the international letters of request they have sent to the Portuguese”.

One point, however - mentioned both in the ‘new’ story over the Easter weekend, and the story published by the Mirror in 2013 - is that Madeleine’s father Gerry McCann has said he feels the family were being watched throughout their fateful holiday.

“If that truly is the case”, said the retired policeman in touch with Algarve Resident, “why on earth would he have left his children asleep on their own in the holiday apartment?”

Seven years on, over seven million euros spent on Operation Grange - not to mention money being ploughed into the reopened Portuguese police investigation - and despite all the ‘new’ stories, no one appears to have any answers as to what really happened to three-year-old Madeleine McCann.