The Leicester Mercury is running a week-long series of special features to mark the first anniversary of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

It was on May 3 last year that the four-year-old was taken from her family’s holiday apartment on the Algarve.

The Mercury’s series began on Saturday with a timetable of the day that Madeleine went missing and continued on Monday with the frantic search for her in the hours which followed.

The Northcliffe daily has also looked at the impact the case has had on two very different locations – the village of Rothley, Leicestershire, where the McCanns live and Praia da Luz, the holiday resort where she was taken.

The series, written by feature writers Lee Marlow and Adam Wakelin, also includes interviews with criminal experts about their theories on the case and a look at the international media coverage surrounding the story.

To publicise this week’s coverage 500 posters have been printed and displayed outside shops in Leicestershire and the articles have been boosted on the front page.

One of the Leicester Mercury’s features about the Madeleine McCann case

Mercury deputy editor Richard Bettsworth said: “Throughout the past year there has been an extraordinary level of interest across the world in the story of Madeleine’s disappearance and particularly so here in Leicestershire, where Gerry and Kate McCann live and work.

“With the anniversary of their daughter’s abduction approaching, we have gone back through the case in fine detail, putting together a comprehensive account of everything that is known about the night she went missing, looking at the theories over what might have happened and examining the incredible public and media reaction.

“There has been a great deal of support for Gerry and Kate McCann in Leicestershire, not least through the Bands of Hope appeal organised by the Leicester Mercury to raise money through the sale of wristbands for the Find Madeleine Fund.

“We know that the thoughts and prayers of our readers will be with the family through this difficult time and we continue to hope that Madeleine will be found alive and well.”

Comments

Kathryn Kwzchzyk (02/05/2008 09:21:25)
There is no evidence whatoever that this was an abduction

DAVE (02/05/2008 09:54:24)
Thank you PC Kwzchzyk

jacci – cape town (03/05/2008 13:13:53)
There isn’t any evidence, full stop. Good luck to the Mccanns.