They launched a petition calling for support for their lobbying of both the UK and Portugese governments for action.

Three and a half years after Madeleine went missing Liverpool-born Kate and husband Gerry McCann said they have had enough of 'fluffy worthless words'.

Mr McCann said: 'Essentially for the last three-and-a-half years the authorities have not been doing anything proactive to help Madeleine.

'That is despite our best efforts to encourage them to do so.

'I don't think it's right that the onus should fall on us, the authorities really should be doing more.'

Mrs McCann added: 'I don't want to be appeased and that's what I feel we're getting at the moment.

'We need action, I don't need fluffy worthless words. We need somebody to do something.

'Madeleine is still missing, she's a little girl, her abductor is still out there, so by not carrying on we are putting other children at risk. I think more needs to be done.'

The couple have met former home secretaries Alan Johnson and Jacqui Smith, as well as current Home Secretary Theresa May, to discuss the issue and to ask for a review of the case.

Mrs McCann said when they met Mr Johnson, who commissioned a 'scoping exercise' by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre to see if a review would be helpful, they felt they were making progress, but now did not even know if the report had been read.

Madeleine was three when she went missing from her family's holiday flat in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007, as her parents dined with friends nearby.

Portuguese police launched a massive investigation with the support of British officers, but the inquiry was formally shelved in July 2008 without reaching any firm conclusions about her fate.

Private detectives employed by the McCanns are still investigating the case and as well as the petition, the couple are appealing for continued financial support for the official Find Madeleine fund, as it stands the fund will run out in spring 2011.

Mr and Mrs McCann said they had not given up hope and spoke of their frustration at a lack of help from the authorities.

Mrs McCann said: 'Children do get found years down the line.There's no evidence that Madeleine is not out there alive.

'It's just heartbreaking to think that nothing is getting done other than what we are having to do, other than our small team.

'Obviously a small team has limitations. If we had a review, if we had help from the authorities, the chances of finding Madeleine would be much greater I think.

'We deeply believe it will take us that step closer to finding Madeleine.'

A Home Office spokesman said:

'The British authorities will maintain a dialogue with the Portuguese and continue to liaise with Madeleine's family.

LIVERPOOL ECHO INTERVIEW WITH THE MCCANNS

WITH THANKS TO JJP FOR TRANSCRIPT

Beth Littler Three and a half years after she went missing, the parents of Madeleine McCann are again stepping up their search.  Kate and Gerry McCann are launching a petition asking the UK and Portuguese governments to do more.

Gerry McCann For the last two and a half years the authorities have not been doing anything proactive to find Madeleine.  That’s been despite our best efforts to encourage them to do so and I don’t think its right that the onus should fall on us.  The authorities really should be doing more.

Kate McCann I mean we had mentioned, obviously we’ve met several home secretaries and we met Alan Johnson previously and he actually commissioned the report, the scoping exercise to be carried out by CEOP basically to see if a review would be helpful to the search for Madeleine.  So we did actually feel we were making progress and that report was carried out and we haven’t seen the results of it and it has actually been sitting with the government since March.  Now, admittedly, we’ve obviously had a change of government since then but its six months now and nothing has been done with the report.  We’re not even sure if its been read yet.  It certainly hadn’t been read in August we were told, so…

Gerry McCann I think its fundamental, you know, there hasn’t been a formal case review and I think for such a serious case as this and particularly with the profile of it and the international aspects that that should be carried out and further inquiries should be determined as a result of the review.

Kate McCann I mean Madeleine is still missing.  She’s a little girl. Her abductor is still out there so, potentially, you know by not carrying on with the investigation we are putting other children at risk.  Erm, I think more needs to be done.

Gerry McCann I think you’re right.  What we actually asked at the last meeting was to have some metrics by which to judge progress and at the minute there’s no time scale, there’s no deliverables, and its really difficult to see what the governments are actually doing.

Beth Littler Madeleine disappeared from an apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3^rd 2007 just a few days before her fourth birthday.