Missing Madeleine McCann's parents: 'We've seen the worst and the best of human nature'

The parents of missing Madeleine McCann have vowed to do “whatever it takes for as long as it takes” to find their daughter, ahead of the tenth anniversary of her disappearance on May 3.

In an interview ahead of the anniversary, Kate and Gerry McCann said they had seen the “worst and the best of human nature” as they described the online abuse they have received since their daughter went missing from their holiday apartment in Portugal

The couple said they have taken heart from the “real progress” that has been made by the Metropolitan Police during the past five years and there is still hope that they will find Madeleine.

Scotland Yard said last week that officers are still pursuing “critical” leads to trace Madeleine, who was aged three when she vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal on May 3 2007.

In an interview with the BBC Mrs McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, said: “It might not be as quick as we want, but there’s real progress being made and I think we need to take heart from that.

“We just have to go with the process and follow it through – whatever it takes for as long as it takes. There is still hope that we can find Madeleine.”

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She added: “My hope for Madeleine being out there is no less than it was almost 10 years ago.”

As well as dismissing criticism of the cost of the Met’s inquiry as unfair, the McCanns said they plan to challenge a court ruling clearing Portuguese former police officer Goncalo Amaral of breaching libel laws in his book about Madeleine.

The couple also commented on the impact of social media criticism of them, but said they preferred to focus on the kindness they had been shown over the past decade.

Cardiologist Mr McCann said: “I think we’ve seen the worst and the best of human nature.”

In a message on the Official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page his wife, a former GP, wrote: “Ten years – there’s no easy way to say it, describe it, accept it. And now here we are … Madeleine, our Madeleine – ten years.

“Most days are similar to the rest – another day. May 3rd 2017 – another day. But ten years – a horrible marker of time, stolen time.”