UK police making 'encouraging progress' in Madeleine McCann investigation

LONDON, ENGLAND (BNO NEWS) -- British police are expected to continue their investigation into the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann after the government agreed to provide the necessary funds, officials said, adding that 'encouraging progress' is still being made.

The Home Office, the ministerial department which is also responsible for police services, confirmed it has agreed to provide the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) the resources they need to investigate the girl's disappearance. It followed a report from the British newspaper The Daily Mail which said British authorities will soon take control of the case from Portuguese police.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), which is better known as Scotland Yard, said it is reviewing a significant number of documents and is continuing to identify potential lines of inquiry. "The MPS investigative review into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann continues to make encouraging progress," the spokesperson said.

Few details were provided, but British police are expected to release more details over the coming week. "Detectives remain in regular contact with Kate and Gerry McCann and are working closely with the Portuguese police in an attempt to make further progress," the spokesperson added.

The MPS investigative review, dubbed Operation Grange, was launched in May 2011. Officers have been reviewing approximately 40,000 pieces of information equating to approximately 100,000 pages, but there has been no breakthrough and Portuguese authorities have not re-opened the case.

In April 2012, British police claimed to have found 'new evidence' during their review that suggested a possibility that McCann was abducted and is still alive, living with her abductor. They also released an age progression image of the girl, whose tenth birthday was on May 12.

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