1,000 days marked of missing Madeleine

The couple marked the sad anniversary with a fundraising event attended by their celebrity supporters in London and by launching 1,000 glowing paper lanterns into the night sky.

The McCanns said it sometimes felt wrong that they were coping with life without Madeleine but added that otherwise there would be no search for the little girl.

In a statement they said: "Today marks 1,000 days since Madeleine was taken from us. It's hard to even say the number.

"We remember the first few days after Madeleine was taken, watching the clock and counting every hour. Now we've reached 1,000 days.

"It's difficult sometimes to understand how we've been able to keep going and survive without Madeleine, especially since nothing has changed since that terrifying first night.

"Madeleine is still missing. Sometimes it even feels wrong to be coping.

"And yet if we weren't, there would be no search and no campaign to find Madeleine and that just doesn't bear thinking about."

Madeleine was nearly four when she disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in southern Portugal on May 3, 2007, while her parents dined with friends.

About 180 guests were expected at the McCanns' 150-a-head fundraising dinner, raffle and auction at Kensington Roof Gardens in west London last night. Those invited were understood to include Sir Richard Branson and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

Half the money raised will go to the McCanns' fund to find Madeleine, and the other half will be split between the charities Missing People and Missing Children Europe.