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Kate McCann On 'Horror' Of Note Left By Hotel Staff Prior To Madeleine's Disappearance

Kate McCann On 'Horror' Of Note Left By Hotel Staff Prior To Madeleine's Disappearance

Madeleine went missing in Portugal back in 2007 and the search has continued ever since

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

Kate McCann has opened up about the 'horror' of a hotel note she discovered following the disappearance of her daughter Madeleine.

Kate and husband Gerry were on holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on 3 May 2007 when they went out for an evening meal, leaving three-year-old Madeleine in the hotel with her two-year-old twin siblings.

She subsequently disappeared, sparking one of the most well-known missing person searches ever.

She went missing in 2007.
PA

A year on from that fateful night, Kate discovered a hotel note left at The Ocean Club apartments in the hours before Madeleine's disappearance which could have unwittingly played a role in the tragic events that followed.

Divulging the shocking discovery in Madeleine: Our Daughter's Disappearance and the Continuing Search for Her - which was published in 2011 - Kate wrote: "It wasn't until a year later, when I was combing through Portuguese police files, that I discovered the note.

"The note requesting to get a block booking was written in a staff message book, which sat on a desk at the pool reception for most of the day.

"This book was, by definition, accessible to all staff and, albeit unintentionally, probably to guests and visitors, too.

"To my horror, I saw that no doubt in all innocence and simply to explain why she was bending the rules a bit, the receptionist had added the reason for our request: we wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently."

Kate shared the discovery in a book published in 2011.
PA

Last week, German police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann said they were now convinced she was killed in Portugal.

They had feared prime suspect Christian Brueckner moved Maddie to his homeland in Germany after abducting her from Praia da Luz 14 years ago.

However, prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said police now believe Maddie - who would now be 18-years-old - was killed in Portugal.

Wolters comments came just days after Gerry and Kate said they would never give up hope of finding their daughter.

Wolters said that Brueckner will be convicted of Maddie's abduction and killing by 'concrete evidence'.

When pressed for his thoughts on where Maddie was killed, Wolters said: "In Portugal. I am optimistic we will solve this case."

Amid rumours that new and important evidence had been found linking Brueckner to the case, he said: "I'm afraid I cannot tell you what it is but it strengthens our work."

Brueckner, 44, is currently in prison serving a seven-year sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Portugal's Algarve region in 2005.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, crime, Madeleine McCann