Police forced to make U turn in maddy case

Portuguese police were forced to make an embarrassing U-turn after the parents of missing Madeleine McCann held discussions with prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown, it has emerged.The Chancellor spoke to Gerry McCann on several occasions in recent days and pledged to do everything he could to support the family.The McCanns were desperate to release details about a man seen carrying what was thought to be a child on the night Madeleine went missing and had threatened legal action. But after a meeting between the couple and senior Portuguese officials, the police relented and a physical description was issued.Mr McCann said the talks were amicable and constructive and insisted the sighting could prove "significant and relevant" in finding the four-year-old. It is 23 days since Madeleine was snatched from her bed in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz.Mr McCann said he and wife Kate wanted "more than anything" to get their daughter back. Appealing for help, he said: "Any information, no matter how unimportant you think it could be might be vital in helping the Portuguese and British police find our daughter."After making their plea, the couple spent the afternoon with their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, and took them swimming. They are determined to make life as normal for the children as they wait for any news of their elder sister.Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the family, said: "I can confirm that telephone conversations have taken place between Gerry McCann and Chancellor Gordon Brown. Mr Brown offered both Gerry and Kate his full support in their efforts to find Madeleine."The McCanns are convinced that a white man aged around 35 to 40 spotted by a friend of the couple near their apartment at 9.30 pm was holding Madeleine.He was medium build, 5ft 10in tall, wearing a dark jacket and beige trousers.Portuguese police have known about the sighting for three weeks but because of laws which forbid the release of details of an investigation the sighting could not be publicly released.