They were words that could have melted a heart of stone - "please don't hurt our little girl" - and they went round the world.

But Kate McCann was none the wiser last night as to whether her daughter's abductor was listening, or cared.

Five days after three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from her parents' holiday apartment on the Algarve, the efforts by police and volunteers to find her seemed no further forward.

A fumbled and uninformative police press conference gave little cause for encouragement.

They were left simply to hope that Madeleine was still alive and that her captor could be moved to set her free. Fighting back tears, her husband Gerry beside her holding up a photograph of Madeleine, Mrs McCann begged those holding the "funny and caring" three-year-old girl not to harm her.

Speaking at the resort of Praia da Luz, she appealed for those holding her daughter to put her in a "place of safety".

She went on: "Madeleine is a beautiful, bright, funny and caring little girl. She is so special. Please, please, do not hurt her.

"Please do not scare her. Please let us know where to find Madeleine or put her in a place of safety and tell somebody where. We beg you to let Madeleine come home."

She added: "Please give our little girl back."

Mrs McCann then repeated this in Portuguese, saying: "Por favor, devolva a nossa menina."

Madeleine disappeared as she was left with her brother and sister, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie. Her parents regularly checked on them as they dined in a restaurant nearby.

The young girl was wearing white pyjama bottoms with a small floral design and a short-sleeved pink top with a picture of the children's character Eeyore on it when she vanished.

Some say they saw a man giving candy to children at the marina

The hunt for the child was extended by up to nine miles around Praia da Luz.

Police said they had found evidence she was abducted but have not disclosed any details. Last night they said they were not saying "definitely" that she had been kidnapped, an admission which added little by way of clarification.

They also described as speculation reports indicating they thought the abductor may be a Briton.

Barra da Costa, a former inspector in the Judicial Police, said investigators had told him that a working description of the suspect being used by detectives suggested someone of English appearance.

The former police officer said the apparently meticulous planning, without leaving forensic evidence, could also point to a British rather than Portuguese intruder.

But a serving senior officer, who asked not to be named, said: "That is pure speculation. Some people say they saw a man giving out candy to children near the marina but there are many other accounts we are looking into as well."

Experts have put together an artist's impression of a "suspect" but have not publicly revealed details.

It is believed, however, that the image shows only the back of his head and hair.

Police were also investigating a claim that a man was seen dragging a young girl along towards a marina in the nearby town of Lagos.

Around the marina at Lagos, which was busy with British tourists, bars and restaurants were displaying photographs of Madeleine to jog customers' memories.

Police have taken records of all boats booked into the marina right through from April 27 to May 6.

Marques Pereira, harbour captain at Lagos, said that they were searching for a body as well as other evidence.

"We can't afford to discard or abandon evidence such as clothes, shoes or even a body," he said.

A small party of around 20 volunteers was searching forests and rough ground around the outskirts of the village of Espiche.

Along the nearby coast police have checked a cave complex at Ponta da Piedade, with the help of volunteer canoeists.

Dave Felton, a Manchester man who lives in the village, said: "I think people are still hoping that we don't actually find her and that she is safe and sound somewhere.

"If we find her then maybe it is not the best thing."

A colleague of Madeleine's mother Kate - who is a GP in Rothley, Leicestershire - has offered a £100,000 reward.

She is a beautiful, bright, funny and caring little girl'
The appeal made by Kate McCann, the mother of missing three-year-old Madeleine: "We would like to say a few words to the person who is with our Madeleine, or has been with Madeleine.

"Madeleine is a beautiful, bright, funny and caring little girl. She is so special. Please, please, do not hurt her.

"Please do not scare her, please let us know where to find Madeleine or put her in place of safety and tell somebody where.

"We beg you to let Madeleine come home. We need our Madeleine.

"Sean and Amelie need Madeleine and she needs us. Please give our little girl back. Por favor, devolva a nossa menina."