Gerry McCann has made an emotional return to Portugal in an bid to build bridges with authorities and rekindle the search for his missing daughter Madeleine.

It was his first time back in the country since he and his wife, Kate, flew home from the Algarve on September 9, 2007, four months after their daughter disappeared.

Mr McCann, 40, met with lawyers in Lisbon acting on his family's behalf in a bid to determine what can still be done to trace his child.

Speaking to a Portuguese news agency, the doctor from Rothley, Leicestershire, told how he wished to 'work with the (Portuguese) authorities as much as possible in the ongoing search'.

'We think there is still a very good chance Madeleine could be found alive and well, and that's why we want the search to continue,' he said.

'We want to stress our desire to continue to work with the authorities as much as possible.'

Mr McCann confirmed he had no plans mount legal action against the Portuguese media or the police who named the distraught couple as 'arguidos' or formal suspects in the investigation in September 2007 before clearing them last July.

He said: 'I want to make it clear that what happened in the past stays there, and we really want to focus on what can be done to continue the search.

'That is our priority and always has been.'

Madeleine was just three when

Still hopeful of a positive outcome, her father said he still hopes to find her alive and was determined to 'focus on what can still be done for the search.'

Mr McCann was met in the Algarve by officials from the British Embassy, then flew to the capital Lisbon for a meeting with the Portuguese authorities.

He said it was important 'not to duplicate steps that have already been taken and not to waste resources'.

In an interview with Portuguese press agency Lusa he added:  'It is the first visit to Portugal, but I hope it?s the first of many over the coming months.

'The aim is to see what can still be done in the search for Madeleine.'

British and Portuguese police continue to receive 'information' and 'possible sightings' from different sources he said.

He added: 'Like all parents of missing children, we want all the information to be investigated.'

Mr McCann said he was unaware of how much money remained in the Find Madeleine Fund but admitted his family had 'scarce resources and did not want to waste them.' 

Last night a close friend of the McCanns said Madeleine's father, who will return to the UK today felt the visit had been 'very positive'.

The friend said: 'Gerry is very pleased with his trip and in future, when the time is right he may well return with Kate, as a couple together.'

The case was shelved by police in Portugal last July as detectives suspended any search for the youngster.

Mr and Mrs McCann have since trawled thousands of pages from the police files that were painstakingly translated into English.

They continue to analysis them and it is understood they are being assisted by a small team of retired senior British police officers.