Family of missing child issue photo

The family of missing Madeleine McCann have released the last known photograph of their daughter before her abduction in the …

The family of missing Madeleine McCann have released the last known photograph of their daughter before her abduction in the Algarve three weeks ago.

Smiling and dangling her feet into a swimming pool, Madeleine (4) is shown enjoying her holiday less than eight hours before she was snatched from her bed. The picture was taken by Madeleine's mother Kate (38) on her camera.

It shows Madeleine's father smiling, wearing sunglasses and looking straight at the camera proudly sitting with his two young daughters by his side.

Next to him in an orange top is his two-year-old daughter Amelie who is a twin with brother Sean.

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Beside her is her big sister Madeleine, who was then three but looking forward to her fourth birthday at the end of the family holiday.

Madeleine is shown smiling, wearing a pink smock top, white shorts and a sun hat as she cools her feet in the swimming pool.

The picture was taken at 2.29pm on May 3rd - Mrs McCann's camera clock is one hour out so the display reads 1.29pm.

Less than eight hours later, before 10pm that night, Madeleine disappeared. She had been sleeping in the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, next to the twins, when she was taken away.

Mr and Mrs McCann were just yards away at the time having dinner and her disappearance has been publicised around the world, but despite an extraordinary campaign to make her image known across Europe there has been no news of her whereabouts for three weeks.

Mr and Mrs McCann, backed by an army of friends and family, remain convinced that Madeleine is alive and are praying, along with people around the world, for her safe return.