00:01:20
ITN
Madeleine search: sketches released
Madeleine search: sketches released
The team searching for Madeleine McCann want to speak to a man seen walking alone on a beach during heavy rain.The McCann's family spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, revealed the man was seen in Praia Da Luz by a British holidaymaker a few days before Madeleine disappeared.Gail Cooper from Nottinghamshire described the man she had seen to police in May but the McCanns are the first to commission a sketch of him with the help of a trained police artist.The man is described as white, with dark olive-coloured skin and he is of slim build between 5ft 7in and 5ft 10in. He is in his late 30s or early 40s with dark, collar-length straggly hair. He was wearing light-coloured trousers and a light-coloured safari jacket.Mrs Cooper says the same man came to the door of her villa, claiming he was collecting for a local orphanageMr Mitchell said there are similarities between the man described by Mrs Cooper and another man spotted by Jane Tanner, a friend of the McCanns, carrying a child.Ms Tanner has offered to return to Portugal to help the police with their investigations, but that offer has not yet been accepted.Mr Mitchell said the man in the latest sketch may not be the same man spotted by Ms Tanner but confirmed investigators want to speak to him so he can be eliminated from enquiries.Mr Mitchell said: "We believe this man could be linked to Madeleine's disappearance."If he is innocent we want him to come forward for his own sake so he can be ruled out."We want to know who he is, where he is and we want to know that as soon as we can."If he isn't connected with Madeleine's abduction, he needs to come forward himself so that he can be eliminated from both the police and the private investigations that are underway."Investigators have asked anybody with information to call 00 34 902 300 213.© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.
ITN | January 20, 2008
