NO STONE UNTURNED': New vigour in the hunt for Madeleine

THE brother of Gerry McCann has quit the Madeleine Fund amid a drive to inject new dynamism into the search for the missing seven-year-old.

John McCann has been a dedicated director since the fund was launched more than three years ago and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to do everything he could to find the child.

However, latest company accounts show he left last month along with fellow director Douglas Skehan, a heart specialist and colleague of Gerry McCann who works with him at Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital. Speaking at the launch of the fund two weeks after Madeleine vanished, John said: “This fund will be a vehicle to help our family get our darling, wee niece back.”

In an update to their website, neither Kate nor Gerry McCann mentioned the names of the directors who have left.

Instead they focused on the renewed vigour behind the campaign to find their daughter. They believe Madeleine was abducted from their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on Portugal’s Algarve coast in May 2007.

The message states: “There will be some changes and development in terms of strategy and ideas as we endeavour to leave no stone unturned in our search.

“This will include some changes to the board of Madeleine’s Fund, simply to try to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of what we are doing. It has now been three years and four months since Madeleine was taken from us. None of us ever thought we’d still be in the position we are today.

“Inevitably there has to be change for a variety of reasons but importantly, this will also allow people to help and support us in different ways.

“Regardless of change, everyone’s focus, commitment and desire continues to be that of finding Madeleine.”

New board members, as yet unnamed, have been appointed to the fund, which stands at £450,000 and relies on public donations to pay private investigators to carry on the search.

The unsigned blog continues: “Keeping Madeleine’s image out there greatly increases our chances of finding her.

“It is a reminder to people that she is still missing and to please keep looking for her. In addition, we know that somebody knows where Madeleine is.

“One more reminder of her may be all that it takes for them to finally come forward and let us know.”

The McCanns met Home Secretary Theresa May over the summer to ask for a review of all evidence in the case.