The hunt for Madeleine McCann could come to an end this week as funding in the 10-year long investigation runs out.
More than £11 million has been spent on the probe to find Madeleine, who vanished from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007, aged three.
Her parents Gerry and Kate McCann now face an agonising wait to find out if the Metropolitan Police will be granted more funds to continue the search, after the force admitted it was set to run out of money.
Gerry and Kate McCann (pictured in 2012) now face an agonising wait to find out if the Metropolitan Police will be granted more funds to continue the search for their daughter
The Met Police has spent some £11million searching for Madeleine – but the money funding the investigation is running out
With funding for the investigation, known as Operation Grange, in place until the end of this month, the Metropolitan Police have requested more money from the Government.
The Home Office confirmed the application would be considered, and a decision is expected to be made this week.
Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley in Leicestershire, have vowed to never give up hope of finding their daughter.
The couple have ploughed £500,000 of their own money into the search fund.
More than £11 million has been spent on the probe to find Madeleine, who vanished from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in Portugal in May 2007, aged three
Kate and Gerry McCann have vowed to never give up hope of finding their daughter and have ploughed £500,000 of their own money into the search fund
British police officers visited the area where Madeleine went missing in 2014, but failed to find any evidence on a patch of land which was searched
The family spokesman said: ‘Naturally, Kate and Gerry hope the Met request is granted.
‘They are encouraged that there remains work to be done that requires extra funding and they remain very grateful to all Operation Grange officers who are continuing to look for their daughter.’
It is unclear how much extra cash police chiefs are applying for, although Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley insisted earlier this year that there are still ‘critical’ leads, which are of ‘great interest’ to detectives.
Since 2011, the Met Police have been assisting with the search for clues about what happened to Madeleine, with officers visiting the holiday resort in 2014.
The Met Police have been assisting with the search for clues about what happened to Madeleine, with officers visiting the holiday resort in 2014
The British police inquiry into Madeleine’s disappearance has cost £11million, since it was launched in May 2011. Pictured, UK detectives at the scene in Praia da Luz, Portugal
In March, the Home Office granted officers £85,000 to cover ‘operational costs’ to continue with the investigation, between April and September this year.
A freedom of information request showed that, in 2014, Operation Grange officers spent almost £16,000 on 67 return flights to Portugal.
But officers on the operation made just two flights to Portugal last year, prompting claims the investigation was being scaled down.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘Funding is in place until the end of September. Any details about future funding will be released when appropriate.’
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘The Home Office has provided funding to the Metropolitan Police for Operation Grange and the resources required are reviewed regularly with careful consideration given before any new funding is allocated.’