Madeleine McCann: Detectives ask UK government for six months' further funding for investigation

Funding for Scotland Yard's Operation Grange due to run out at end of month

Madeleine McCann was three when she disappeared (PA)

British detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann 11 years ago have asked the government for funding to continue the probe for six months.

The Metropolitan Police has requested funding from the Home Office to extend the £11.6m probe beyond the end of September.

In March, the force was granted an extra £150,000 to continue its investigation for another three months.

Madeleine was three when she was last seen on holiday with her family in Portugal in May 2007.

Scotland Yard launched an investigation, Operation Grange, in 2013 after Portuguese detectives failed to make headway.

A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: "All funding matters regarding Operation Grange are dealt with by the Home Office, but the MPS are currently in dialogue with the Home Office regarding future funding."

The government said earlier this week that any request for further funding would be "carefully considered".

Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have vowed they will never give up on finding their daughter, who vanished from the holiday apartment in which they were staying in the Algarcve resort of Praia da Luz.

Her disappearance sparked one of the most high-profile and costly police investigations of recent times.

In 2015, Scotland Yard cut the number of detectives working on the case from 29 to four.