Calm, laid-back, loving
and happy. Away from the headlines and the horrors, this
is how Kate McCann's friends knew her to be with her
children.
Yesterday, at the end of a week in which Kate has been
described as 'struggling' to cope with three
'hysterical' children and short-tempered with Madeleine,
two of her oldest friends, Linda McQueen and Nicky Gill,
have spoken out in her defence - and told of her
heartbreak and devastation.
Nicky said: "The things that have been said are unfair
and hurtful. It's frustrating for Kate and Gerry that
anything is taking the focus away from Madeleine and
away from the search for her.
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Good with
children: Gerry and Kate McCann, holding Linda's baby Ellie, Kate's
goddaughter |
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A previously
unpublished picture of Madeleine, as supplied by the McCanns'
friends |
"At the bottom of all
this, Kate is a mother who has lost her daughter and she
needs all the help she can get. Kate is a warm, loving,
loyal friend.
"We're her friends. We'll do whatever it takes. We'll
continue to support and help right to the end."
The 39-year-old personal trainer, who lives in the
Liverpool suburb of Childwall, has known Kate since they
met at the age of six on their first day of school.
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A rare smile
from Kate McCann as she chats with friends outside church this
morning |
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Innocence: A
young Kate McCann, right, takes her first communion with
lifelong friend Nicky Gill |
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Madeleine McCann
with her twin siblings |
"If anybody was meant to
have three children under the age of three, it was
Kate," she said. "She's so cool, calm and laidback. I
never saw her run ragged once. She was just so happy."
Nicky also defended Gerry, who had been described as
'absent' when it came to child care. She said: "Gerry is
a fabulous dad. He's a working father but very hands-on.
He's like a fourth kid, rolling around with them in a
very rough-and-tumble way, and with a fabulous sense of
humour.
"He and Kate balance each other really well. They have a
very special relationship."
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Gerry McCann
with Linda McQueen, a close friend of Kate
McCann's |
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A family
photo of Kate McCann as a child. Kate is
pictured (left) with her friend Nicky Gill
outside a zoo |
Linda McQueen, a
45-year-old teacher from Formby, Merseyside, has also
known Kate since they were children. She said: "The
family had a great routine - their mealtimes, bedtimes
and bathtimes in particular were great fun.
"We holidayed with them as part of a big group earlier
in the year. It was just lovely."
Having a large family was, Linda explained, something of
which Kate always dreamed. "They were up and down about
whether they could have children and then they went
through IVF so Madeleine, all of the children, was a
dream come true."
Nicky added: "It seems so cruel that this
happened to them just when they had all they wanted."
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Kate McCann on
her wedding day with her goddaughter Ellie |
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| Kate and Gerry
McCann at the wedding of a close friend |
Both women have been in
close contact with Kate and Gerry since Madeleine
disappeared from their villa in Praia da Luz on May 3.
Yesterday Linda recalled how she had spoken to Kate at
about 2am on the night Madeleine vanished.
"She just said, 'Somebody's taken Madeleine, somebody's
taken Madeleine.' She sounded shocked and frantic and
was just trying to get everything up and running to find
her. It was just awful. This cold, icy feeling came over
you."
Nicky spoke to Kate the next day, by which time "she was
exhausted, physically and emotionally".
The McCanns have been criticised by some for a 'too
slick' publicity campaign to try to find their daughter.
But Linda said: "Kate and Gerry were so traumatised that
they went into a cocoon in the first couple of days. But
all the advice they were being given was, 'Get
Madeleine's face out there.' So that's what they did.
They will do whatever it takes to find her."
Nicky said: "I think Kate has done extremely well. It's
horrendous. She is the kindest, most caring person. But
the frustration is that every day spent talking about
Kate and Gerry is another not finding Madeleine."
Linda added: "They're an amazing couple. They have their
vulnerable times and their dark moments.
"But Kate can't let Madeleine down and we'll get through
it.
"I think it's only a small minority who are critical of
Kate. The rest are sticking with us and keeping
Madeleine in their prayers.
"We need to refocus on Madeleine. That's the most
important thing to Kate - to get the focus back on
Madeleine."
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