The parents of missing Madeleine McCann say they will spend the coming week reviewing the campaign to find her and allowing themselves time to grieve.

The couple have travelled across Europe in an effort to find Madeleine, four, who went missing in Portugal on 3 May.

But on their return to the Algarve on Tuesday from Morocco, Gerry and Kate McCann of Rothley, Leicestershire, say they will have a period of reflection.

Mr McCann, 39, said he did not want to hold back his emotions any more.

"There's been a lot of emotion in the last 10 days," he said.

"In the first few weeks when I slipped into dark moments of despair, I was finding it quite easy to emotionally switch a light back on, but I've been finding it increasingly difficult to do.

"More importantly, I don't want to do that any more. I want to be able to grieve and let those emotions out."

Media attention

The couple have travelled across Europe - including taking a trip to the Vatican City to make a personal appeal to the Pope - since their daughter disappeared from Praia da Luz, in the Algarve.

"We'll still meet with the Portuguese police as we have done fairly regularly and with the British police, but it is definitely going to be a period of reflection," Mr McCann said.

"We can't keep doing the same thing week after week. The [media] coverage will dwindle away. What we want to be sure of is that what we put our energy into is effective."

The couple will travel to the Moroccan capital Rabat later for a series of meetings and a news conference.

The visit to the north African country follows a reported sighting of a young girl fitting Madeleine's description at a petrol station in Marrakech.

When they return to Portugal, Mrs McCann said it would be time to withdraw from the media attention.

"When I'm speaking in public it helps take my mind off things. It's a distraction because you know that might help, but it's time to step back from that," she said.

Mr McCann said he and his wife would at some point have to make the decision to go home.

"There's been a lot of talking and thinking about that going on behind the scenes. We will not give up, but there will be a different way of doing things.

"I can see myself having to go back to the UK to meet with people, it is just more efficient to do things over there.

"It will be very, very hard. The last time I was back, I couldn't even go into the house. I found it hard enough going to Rothley."

'Can't face leaving'

Mrs McCann said she often awoke thinking it would be the day Madeleine would be found.

"I do actually feel close to Madeleine here. She could actually be further away from here than she is from the UK but I feel emotionally close to her here.

"People have told me that I could do the same, if not more, back in the UK, but I can't face leaving."

The McCanns are expected to move out of their Mark Warner holiday apartment next week and enter more permanent housing.

On Saturday a family spokesman said the couple would probably remain in Portugal at least until the end of the summer.

It is thought Madeleine was snatched from the family's apartment at the Praia da Luz resort while her parents were at a nearby restaurant.