A sacked maid latest missing Madeleine McCann suspect

A maid who is alleged to have abducted Madeleine McCann in revenge for being sacked from the holiday resort where the missing girl was staying is being investigated by Portuguese police.

The identity of the maid was e-mailed to the official website of the Prince of Wales at the end of last week. Police have confirmed that the woman had worked at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz. They have also discovered that the e-mail appeared to have been sent from a computer with an IP address in the Iberian peninsula.

Clarence House immediately informed Scotland Yard of the tip-off and forwarded the details to officers from Leicestershire police, who are leading the inquiry in Britain. The Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall issued a statement soon after Madeleine went missing saying that they were following the case “closely and with deep concern”.

A source close to Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, said: “We hope that the police will follow up any information given to them. Kate and Gerry are encouraged by anything that focuses on finding Madeleine.”

A new sighting was reported yesterday, when James Valarino, 65, from Gibralter, said he was convinced that he had seen Madeleine in the town of Tangiers with a north European man on August 8. The man ran off with the girl when Mr Valarino called Madeleine’s name, the Sunday Express reported.