The hunt for Maddie - a year on

12:20pm Friday 2nd May 2008

An East Sheen charity is sending a message of support to Kate and Gerry McCann to mark the one year anniversary of their daughter Madeleine's disappearance tomorrow.

On Wednesday, April 30, the McCanns featured in an ITV documentary in which they visited Missing People's offices, in Upper Richmond Road West, to see the work it does and to campaign for a cross-European alert system.

Chief executive of the charity, Paul Tuohy, said: "We fully support and applaud Kate and Gerry's attempts to raise the profile of the wider problem of missing children, and the need for greater international cooperation to respond effectively to missing incidents.

"However, it should not be forgotten that the public also has a key role to play - whether it's coming forward with information that could end a lifetime of heartache for families like the McCanns, or simply by leaving a legacy to your country's missing people charity to increase their chances of reuniting families."

Four-year-old Madeleine disappeared from a holiday villa in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007.

The youngster has never been found - despite numerous reported sightings.

Mr Tuohy added: "No family should have to face the loss that a missing child brings, but missing' is an issue that could affect each and every one of us.

"Everyday at Missing People is marked by at least one anniversary of a missing relative.

"This could be a son, daughter, mother or father.

"They could have been missing for one year or many more. The circumstances will be different but the pain is the same."

Missing People is the UK member of Missing Children Europe and hopes to be the UK provider of the European 116 000 phone service for families to report a child missing.

Editor's Choice