Missing Madeleine's parents "remain positive"

LONDON, May 10 (Reuters) The parents of missing Madeleine McCann say they are trying to stay positive as they enter the seventh day since their three-year-old daughter disappeared from a resort in southern Portugal.

Doctors Kate and Gerry McCann thanked the hundreds of police and volunteers searching for the girl, who detectives fear may have been abducted.

''We are grateful to all of those currently taking part in the search,'' they said in a statement. ''We are channelling all of our emotions and efforts into the steps that are being taken to secure Madeleine's safe return.

''We remain positive and thank the media for their ongoing support to publicise the search.'' Despite a huge police operation, there has been no public news of a breakthrough.

The Portuguese authorities have been forced to defend their investigation against strong criticism from parts of the British media and some expatriates in Portugal.

Madeleine's grandmother Susan Healy said police made mistakes early in the investigation.

''In all fairness to the Portuguese police, I think mistakes were made initially, possibly due to inexperience. There's not very much crime in that part of Portugal.

''I am sure that the Portuguese police are doing everything that they can now.'' In a second interview, she called for an end to criticism about the parents' decision to leave their children sleeping in their apartment while they ate at a nearby restaurant.

''They made a decision and thought it was OK but this time it wasn't,'' she told the Daily Mail. ''Now Kate and Gerry have to live with that, which is dreadful.

''They made a mistake but they don't need the extra pressure of other people criticising them.'' Under the headline ''Muddle and failure in hunt for Madeleine'', the Daily Telegraph today catalogued what is said was series of mistakes.

It said there was confusion over e-fits of potential suspects and a failure to circulate pictures of the girl across Portugal as soon as she disappeared.

Portuguese police have stressed that unlike in Britain, they are obliged by law to keep the investigation secret.

They have followed up hundreds of leads and searched 500 apartments in and around the small Praia da Luz Algarve resort where Madeleine disappeared.

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva also defended the police, saying ''we're doing everything to find the child alive.'' Reuters AGL DS1340