Help offers overwhelm parents of abducted UK girl

Praia Da Luz (Portugal), May 18: The parents of a kidnapped four-year-old British girl have been overwhelmed with offers to help find their daughter and a website on the campaign has received five million hits, a relative said.

Madeleine McCann disappeared from her bedroom at a hotel resort in the Algarve two weeks ago as her parents dined nearby. Gerry and Kate McCann launched a campaign on Wednesday, hoping to raise awareness and bring their daughter back.

''They have been totally overwhelmed by offers from individuals, small companies and large multinational corporations,'' close relative Michael Wright said yesterday in a televised statement.

''Their purpose is to turn hope into action.'' Police have identified one suspect in the case and interviewed a Russian man on Wednesday.

A police spokesman said yesterday they had set up road checks in and around the city of Setubal, about 30 km south of the capital Lisbon, after a tipoff that a girl looking like Madeleine had been spotted in a car.

Police are expected to hold a news conference later yesterday on their investigation.

Wright said the www.findmadeleine.com website had received five million hits yesterday, a day after it was established.

Footballers including David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo have made appeals for Madeleine while wealthy individuals, including author JK Rowling, have offered large rewards for information leading to her return.

Reuters>