Madeleine McCann's mother to be declared suspect

LISBON, Sep 7 (Reuters) The mother of missing British four-year-old Madeleine McCann will be formally declared a suspect today, a spokeswoman for the family said.

The sudden shift in the investigation came after authorities received forensic evidence recovered from the holiday apartment in the Algarve where Madeleine vanished on May 3.

''She will be formally declared a suspect,'' said Justine McGuinness, a spokeswoman for the McCanns.

Yesterday, Kate McCann was questioned by police for about 11 hours at a police station in the Algarve. Kate's husband Gerry is expected to be questioned by police today.

A Briton living in Praia da Luz had until now been identified by police as the only suspect in the investigation and his house has been searched twice.

Madeleine's parents have campaigned relentlessly to draw attention to the case. Their efforts led to a meeting with Pope Benedict in Rome who blessed a picture of Madeleine a few weeks after the disappearance.

British business tycoons and celebrities ranging from ''Harry Potter'' author J K Rowling to soccer stars have contributed to a reward for her return.

REUTERS ARB SSC1348