Police investigate sighting of ‘Maddie’ in Nerja

THE police are investigating an alleged sighting of missing Madeleine McCann in Nerja.

A witness claims to have seen a girl in the town bearing a strong physical resemblance to Madeleine, who went missing in Portugal on May 3, 2007.

The Portuguese police, who received an e-mail with the information almost two weeks ago, have requested that the Spanish National Police follow up the tip-off.

According to the information, the girl who was spotted was accompanied by “several people”.

The group which is investigating the lead is the Special and Violent Crime Unit, which is also investigating the disappearance of Ruth and Jose Breton in Cordoba in October last year.

Scotland Yard has been in touch with the unit to request that they be kept informed of any developments.

Since her disappearance, there have been numerous alleged sighting of Madeleine all over Spain. It is not the first time she has supposedly been seen in Malaga province, and just a few months ago a tip-off in the Axarquia area was ruled out.

Back in 2007, just months after Madeleine’s disappearance, a French man and a Portuguese woman were arrested in Sotogrande, accused of giving false clues regarding her location, in an attempt to get money from the McCanns.

In April 2008, a Torremolinos court shelved the case.

Just months later, the Portuguese police closed the case due to lack of evidence and ruled out the suspects who had been questioned, including Madeleine’s parents.