Home Office approves extra £300,000 to fund Madeleine McCann search for another nine months

The Home Office has approved £300,000 for Scotland Yard to continue funding the Madeleine McCann investigation.

Madeleine vanished in Praia da Luz in Portugal on May 3 2007 and the investigation has already cost £11.75 million.

Last month, Metropolitan Police asked for more money to pursue "active lines of inquiries".

This new round of funding will mean the investigation can continue until at least March 21 2020.

Madeleine disappeared from the holiday resort when she was aged three and Scotland Yard opened its own investigation, Operation Grange, in 2013.

She was in her hotel bedroom with her twin siblings when she disappeared.

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Regarding the decision to give more funding, the Home Office said: "All applications for Special Grant funding are considered carefully on their individual merits, however, decisions are made in batches to allow us to better consider the impact on the overall policing budget.

"When considering special grants applications, the Home Office does not take a view on whether an investigation should continue, which would be an operational matter for the police."

An eight-part documentary about disappearance of Leicestershire girl Madeleine McCann launched on Netflix earlier this year.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have spoken out against the programme, saying it could potentially hinder the ongoing search for their daughter.