Warwickshire Police have confirmed that they are assisting the Portuguese authorities in the hunt for Madeleine McCann.

Portuguese police say that there is not enough evidence to make an arrest of the main suspect being questioned over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann the likelihood of the missing girl being found alive grow ever slimmer.

In a statement a police spokesman revealed that five searches had been conducted on Monday in a bid to locate and bring back Madeleine but with no success.

It was suspected that the 33 year old British suspect Robert Murat had taken the girl and was keeping her captive at a location 15 km from his mothers house in Plaia Da Luz.

It was confirmed that a 33-year-old man living in the area had been identified as a suspect but no evidence had been collected to justify putting him formally under arrest. No trace of Madeleine had been found at any location.

Forensic experts searched the house of Robert Murat just yards from where the four-year-old was snatched 12 days ago, and investigations are on-going but Mr Murat claims that he has been made a "scapegoat".

He also said that he would only survive the ordeal if Madeleine's abductor was caught.

The villa he shares with his mother in Praia da Luz was sealed off and searched on Monday night. Among items taken from the house which was searched were videotapes and a computer, witnesses said.

Portuguese law dictates that people who are questioned are not under arrest but are simply treated as witnesses.

Arrests can only be made when police consider someone a suspect or possible suspect and at that point, a court order is required to make any subsequent arrests.

In the UK, there have been reports of police activity in Warwickshire in connection with the investigation.

Warwickshire Police said in a written statement that they were "assisting Leicestershire Constabulary with an investigation".

A spokeswoman for the Leicestershire force said: "We have been working closely with the Portuguese authorities since Madeleine went missing.

"Since that time we have undertaken a number of inquiries on their behalf, and this has included taking statements.

"This all forms part of the Portuguese investigation and it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."

Madeleine was snatched from her bed on May 3 while her parents were dining nearby. There has been no news of her whereabouts since.

Mr Murat had told journalists he had been helping police as a translator and Sunday Mirror reporter Lori Campbell reported him to officers as a possible suspect.

Ms Campbell reported Murat to local officers as well as to the British Embassy and Leicestershire Police.

She said: "Basically he surfaced on Friday afternoon last week and was walking around as if he was somebody official.

"He claimed that he was just a local guy who spoke fluent Portuguese and English and was helping the family.

"He was coming in and out of the family apartment speaking with the media and acting like he was somebody official but when questioned about it, he was very vague about his position.

"He kept trying to emphasise parts of the investigation such as 'maybe she's gone to Spain, maybe it's too late'."