Gerry and Kate McCann looked tired and forlorn in the early morning sunshine and Gerry McCann answered some questions but Kate remained mainly silent except for a few words.

Gerry stood firm and addressed the media in a controlled and cler voice -“Kate & I would like to make a statement –  We’d like to talk about several issues, No.1 Officers support in this ordeal, No 2. The role and help of  the International family law group and No.3. Communications with media – you may ask questions afterwards but as you all understand, we cannot talk about the investigation and there are other things that we are just not ready to talk about at this stage”.

Gerry went on to say “We would like to thank you Tremendous strength and spiritual outpouring that there has been along the way, this gives us hope and encouragement beyond belief”.

“As some of you know, there has been multiple offers of financial pledges to help Maddie. And we are ever grateful for that also”.

“But this has created a problem in itself of how to deal with the millions of offers of financial support and we have engaged lawyers in order to help us use these offers tp help find Maddie. We must say that we have felt a burden lifted, one less thing to think about, and it has allowed us to concentrate on our own physical and mental well-being”

“We need to be spending more time considering ourselves, our own family and we wish to continue communicating with the media. We’d like to thank you for keeping maddie’s profile high in the public interests, it is essential. All communications to continue through madix – who are doing an excellent job, Mark Warner and his staff have been truly supportive throughout this time.

There were some questions from various reporters -

Q: “How are you coping”

A: “It’s obviously extremely difficult to say the least – we had excellent help from travel trauma – who have given us tools to help cope with the situation. We try to put speculation out of our heads – until there is concrete evidence to the contrary – we believe she will be found”

 A question was put to Kate McCann -

Q: “When will you consider returning home”.

Looking very distressed and tired, for the first time she spoke -

A: “We can’t even consider this at this time”

Q: “What are your concrete plans over the next few weeks?”

A: Our lawyers are here to advise – close friends back home are helping too – taking advice from all the different agencies”

We wish to turn thoughts into actions – all the appeals, posters at international airports – that is really about publicising. That’s all thanks – sorry.

The couple left hand in hand on this 11th day of their daughters disappearance hoping that there would be a breakthrough soon in this ever so tragic situation. We all prey for Maddie McCann.