Madeleine rewards reach 2.6 million pounds

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) Celebrities and business leaders have put up a 1.5 million pound reward to help find Madeleine McCann, the four-year-old who disappeared from a Portuguese holiday resort 10 days ago.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling, Virgin boss Richard Branson and Topshop chief Philip Green are among a host of public figures to have offered money for her safe return.

''We are praying for Madeleine's safe return and can't imagine what Kate and Gerry (McCann) are going through at the moment,'' Green said in a statement released by the News of the World, which itself offered 250,000 pounds.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, England cricketer Michael Vaughan, Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold also offered money.

Last week, Scottish health spa owner Stephen Winyard put up one million pounds and a family friend has offered 100,000 pounds.

Gerry McCann said: ''Anything that can be done to publicise that Madeleine is missing and help with the search is very welcome.'' Madeleine, who turned four on Saturday, is feared kidnapped after she vanished from her bed in the Praia da Luz holiday resort on the Algarve on May 3.

At a church service yesterday, Gerry McCann said her disappearance had unleashed a ''tidal wave'' of devastation on the family.

''Today we should be celebrating the fourth birthday of our daughter Madeleine,'' he said. ''Instead we have had to remember what a normal, beautiful, vivacious, funny, courageous and loving little girl that we are missing today.'' A new photograph of Madeleine has been released in an attempt to help the investigation. It shows a distinctive dark blemish in her blue right eye.

''It runs from her pupil into her iris at the bottom of her pupil. Whoever has her cannot hide or cover that up,'' Gerry's brother John McCann told the Sunday Mail, a Scottish tabloid.

REUTERS DS KP1625