The aim of the visit was emotional, rather than to attract attention to the ongoing search for Madeleine, Kate McCann told The Portugal News.

Speaking as she left the Praia da Luz church shortly after noon on Saturday, having spent some time inside in prayer, Mrs. McCann said she was in Portugal “for emotional reasons and to pray for Madeleine”.

During the low-profile visit, she managed to side-step reporters, with her visit to local Church going largely undetected by media and locals alike.

According to family spokesman Clarence Mitchell, this was just one of a number of recent visits she had made to Portugal to visit friends.

Kate McCann also denied she had travelled to Portugal in the company of newly-appointed private investigators. Sources close to the family confirmed on Sunday afternoon that Mrs McCann had returned to the UK having arrived in the Algarve on Friday evening.

Madeleine was just three when she went missing on May 3, 2007 from the bedroom where she was sleeping with her younger twin brother and sister in a tourist complex in Praia de Luz, Lagos, while her parents dined in a nearby restaurant.

On September 7 of the same year the child’s mother Kate and her father were declared persons of interest to the case, but on July 21, 2008 the Attorney General’s office announced the closing of the case and the shelving of the investigation.

The couple’s suspect status was later lifted.

Police originally suggested they were dealing with a possible abduction, but later admitted the child could have died, although the authorities never managed to ascertain what happened.

In the first update on the findmadeleine.com website since the beginning of September, the McCann family this week expressed regret over the resignation of Jim Gamble from the Child Exploitation and On Line Protection Unit (CEOP).

“We are certain that he will be a huge loss to the field of child protection. Knowing how committed Mr. Gamble is to this cause, it is extremely saddening that he feels unable to continue to lead CEOP which appears to be as a consequence of the proposed Governmental changes.

“The search for our daughter Madeleine has been greatly enhanced by the work carried out by the team at CEOP. We would like to thank Mr. Gamble for all of his efforts, both for Madeleine and for all missing and exploited children.”

Kate and Gerry McCann further wrote: “In this challenging economic climate, we urge the Government to remember the value of our children and the importance of the invaluable work which is necessary to protect children against the devastating crimes of child abduction and exploitation.”

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