Madeleine McCann latest: Kate and Gerry McCann 'welcome' search in lake near Praia da Luz

A man says he found a note claiming to detail where Madeleine is buried

Madeleine McCann smiles (Photo by Handout/Getty Images)

Kate and Gerry McCann say they would "welcome" an underwater search of a lake near the holiday resort where their daughter Madeleine disappeared.

Their comments follow claims by an employee of the Ocean Club in the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal, that Madeleine’s body may have been dumped in the man-made lake nine miles away.

The unnamed man told the Daily Mirror that he found a rain-soaked note on 3 May 2008 outside the room where Madeleine vanished, on the first anniversary of her disappearance.

He said the note was headed "Madeleine Beth McCann", with details claiming to disclose where Madeleine was buried written below in Portuguese. He claimed to have immediately handed the note to Portuguese police but said “I have no idea what they did about it.”

The worker described the Barragem da Bravura lake as “the perfect place to hide a body”. However, while the wooded area around the reservoir was searched before the letter emerged, it is understood that a full underwater search has not been carried out.

After the note was discovered, police used sniffer dogs to search the area a second time for two hours, but eyewitnesses reportedly claim that police divers were not deployed.

Regardless of the letter, there is no evidence to indicate that Madeleine is dead, and her parents continue to campaign for her return.

A spokesperson for Kate and Gerry McCann said they would “welcome” any new searches of the Barragem da Bravura and the surrounding woodland.

Clarence Mitchell said: “Kate and Gerry will be informed of what this witness is telling the Daily Mirror.

“We would welcome any new searches. But they cannot comment on any specific detail as that is entirely a matter for Operation Grange and the Portuguese authorities.”

The revelation comes a week after a Portuguese newspaper claimed that police officers who are working on Madeleine’s case want to question British ex-pat Robert Murat.

British police are due to travel to Portugal to question eleven people of interest in the investigation.

Four are being interviewed as witnesses and seven as suspects, according to BBC News.

Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Murat said he has not yet been contacted by police but will cooperate with them.

“My conscience is clear and I have no problem speaking to police again,” he said.