Madeleine McCann parents Kate and Gerry reveal pain of Christmas

THE parents of Madeleine McCann have revealed the pain of Christmas without their missing daughter - but have pledged to never lose hope.

Kate and Gerry today admitted the festive season would never be the same without their daughter, but thanked their supporters for their “kind and continuing good wishes”.

Posting on the Find Maddie website, the couple wrote: "We couldn’t let a Christmas go by without passing on a warm ‘thank you’ to all our supporters for the kind and continuing good wishes, especially at this very busy time of year.

"We miss Madeleine dearly. Christmas will never be the same without her, but we will continue to make the best of what we have.

"The investigation is ongoing and our hope remains."

And in the poignant message, they added: "May 2019 be a peaceful and positive one for us all.”

The message was accompanied next to the image of a sparkling silver tree, signed off with: "Thank you. Kate & Gerry."

Three-year-old Maddie vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007 while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant with pals.

Brave Kate and Gerry, try to keep the festive season as fun and normal as possible for the sake of their twins, who are now 13.

But Kate has previously opened up, saying the occasion is always “tinged with pain and longing” preciously saying: “Madeleine should be here and we should be celebrating with her.

“We have not lost hope that we may get to celebrate another Christmas with her."

Prayers will be said for Maddie during the Christmas Day church service in their village whilst a candle in memory of the youngster burns around the clock in the square beside the war memorial.

Scotland Yard detectives hunting for the youngster have been granted funding until the end of March next year to continue their search.
Kate has told in the past how she still buys Christmas gifts for Maddie and places then in her pretty pink room which has remained untouched since she vanished more than ten and a half years ago.

It has become a shrine to with photos and drawings as well as festive offerings and birthday parcels.

The couple cling onto a glimmer of hope that their eldest child - who would now be aged 15 - could one day return home.

Met Police are chasing up two vital lines of inquiry and have told Maddie’s parents Kate and Gerry they are “hopeful of getting a result.”

Police recently told the couple: " We’re hopeful we can get a result.” The operation Grange team, who had been thought to be focusing on just one, told Kate and Gerry during a meeting they had “two specific and active” lines of inquiry.

The McCanns are “greatly encouraged” that cops - who so far have been handed £11.75 million of taxpayers’ money for the high-profile search - could finally be closing in on their daughter’s kidnapper.