Maddys uncle visits Missin People Charity to mark International Missin Childrens Day

Madeleine McCann's uncle has told of the family's devastation over the four-year-old's disappearance.John McCann spoke as he visited the Missing People charity to mark International Missing Children's Day.And he offered a message of hope to all other families who are missing a loved one.He said: "I'm sure that you all can relate to the horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach and the complete turmoil that hits us. The initial waves of sickness and mental upset was completely overwhelming."None of us was able to think clearly. We just could not take in that someone had done this to our wee lovely Madeleine. These things just don't happen to normal families. But it had."For all families that are coping with a disappearance, your pain will be like ours and some of them will have carried it for longer than we have."What I want to do is show that you can remain hopeful. The key part is realising that there is a channel of support and that is where the charity Missing People comes in."Meanwhile, Madeleine's parents have vowed not to lose hope as International Missing Children's Day is marked around the world.Madeleine will be the focus of many international events more than three weeks after she was snatched from her parents' holiday apartment in Praia Da Luz on the Algarve, Portugal.In a message carried in the Portuguese press, Gerry and Kate McCann identified with parents of missing children in all countries. "We, like parents of missing children around the world, will not lose hope," they said.