Madeleine McCann inquiry drawing to close, says Met

The investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance could be closed within months, Scotland Yard has said.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan Police chief, said investigators are following one remaining line of inquiry and unless any new evidence comes forward after that, the British inquiry will end.

Madeleine went missing at the age of three while on holiday with her parents in Portugal in 2007.

The Met Office investigation has been carried out alongside those by authorities from Portugal and other countries.

Sir Bernard told LBC radio: “Everybody wants to know if she is alive and if she is where is she, and sadly if she’s dead then we need to give some comfort to the family.”

The Home Office has granted £95,000 to keep the inquiry – now down to a few officers – going for another few months.

Sir Bernard said: “If somebody comes forward and gives us good evidence we will follow it. We always say that a missing child inquiry is never closed.”