Britain:The parents of Madeleine McCann are considering hiring a top public relations (PR) adviser to manage their media campaign, signalling a change in strategy a week after being declared official suspects in the investigation into their daughter's disappearance.
Kate and Gerry McCann have been in discussions with Phil Hall, the former tabloid newspaper editor turned media consultant, following the resignation of their media spokeswoman, Justine McGuinness.
Mr Hall, former editor of British Sunday newspaper The News of the World, is among a number of high-profile PR figures consulted by the McCanns with a view to managing the global interest in their case.
Mr Hall confirmed yesterday that he had been in discussion with the couple.
"I have spoken to them a number of times and offered advice and [help] assessing the situation and what they are doing going forward and whether they need someone full-time or part-time," he said.
Meanwhile, social workers visited the McCanns at home yesterday after the couple invited them for talks about two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie in the light of their being named as suspects in Madeleine's disappearance.
It is standard practice for a mother or father named as a suspect overseas to have their case considered by British authorities.
In these cases, social services can, in theory, take children into care or place them on the "in need" or "at risk" registers.
Mr and Mrs McCann have been pursuing an energetic campaign to maintain the high media profile of the search for their daughter since her disappearance on May 3rd, during which they have contacted senior British newspaper and PR figures for advice.
Ms McGuinness, a public affairs consultant and former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, has been acting as their official spokesperson since July. It is understood that her resignation is not related to recent developments in the case.
It is not clear how the couple plan to pay for the PR advisers. On Wednesday, the couple said the Find Madeleine campaign fund, which has raised more than £1 million (€1.46 million) in public donations, would not be used to meet their legal expenses.
In a separate development, investigators on the Algarve have asked the magistrate presiding over the case if they can put further questions to Mrs McCann after studying her diary, it was reported yesterday.
According to the newspaper Publico, the authorities photocopied pages of Mrs McCann's diary two months ago.
The diary pages read by police included private comments about the "unruliness" of her children's behaviour, it was reported by the newspaper.
Meanwhile, film bosses have postponed the release of a Ben Affleck film about the disappearance of a four-year-old girl because of similarities to the Madeleine McCann case.
Gone Baby Gonewas meant to arrive in UK cinemas on December 28th, but has now been delayed indefinitely by its distributor, Buena Vista International.
- (Guardian/PA)