The parents of missing Madeleine McCann marked their daughter's fourth birthday today with a simple plea: 'Please keep looking, please keep praying.'
Gerry and Kate McCann urged people to mark the day by redoubling their efforts to find Madeleine who was snatched from her bed nine days ago.
The couple said that offers of support which had been pouring in on a daily basis were keeping them strong and giving them hope.
Last night the couple, showing the strain of more than a week of turmoil, were honoured with spontaneous applause by villagers after a packed late night vigil in the village church at the resort of Praia da Luz on the Algarve.
They said: 'Today is our daughter Madeleine's fourth birthday. We would like to mark today by asking people to redouble their efforts to help find Madeleine.
'We know that there is already a huge amount of effort and resource being put into the search for our daughter.
'On Madeleine's birthday, please keep looking, please keep praying, please help bring Madeleine home.'
British Chancellor and would-be prime minister Gordon Brown has expressed his sympathy.
Mr Brown said every parent he knew was thinking about the family and what they can do to help.
Meanwhile, Portuguese police have questioned several British tourists staying at the seaside resort in from where Madeleine disappeared nine days ago.
Three of the tourists, two women and one man, were interrogated for nearly eight hours as part of an intense search for Madeleine.
