It was the second time divers working for Mr Correia have scoured the lake, which is a 20-minute drive from the resort of Praia da Luz, where Maddie disappeared last May 3 while on holiday with her family.

Later the McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said it had been confirmed to him that the bones were from an animal.

TV news in neighbouring Spain also reported the bones were not human, though it did not say where it got its information.

Mr Mitchell said: 'This search has been both distressing and distracting. It has been extremely distressing to Kate and Gerry and has detracted from their own search for their daughter. We continue to believe Madeleine is alive.'

Earlier a police expert wearing white protective gloves had examined the bones at the lakeside

Criminal lawyer Mr Correia has spent thousands of pounds on the search.

He insists he was told by criminals that Maddie, who was three when she disappeared, had been raped, murdered and dumped in a lake in the area within 48 hours of being snatched.

However Maddies parents have previously dismissed him as a self-publicist and said there is no evidence of a link to the reservoir.

Referring to Mr Correia, Mr Mitchell added: 'You have to question what this mans motives are.

'He has done nothing but try and get publicity for himself and has caused extreme distress to Madeleines parents.'

Yesterday was due to be the last day of the search by seven divers. The bones were found by John Fellows, a frogman with Lagos-based dive school Dive Time.

Divers had previously recovered several lengths of cord, some plastic tape and a single white cotton sock.

The reservoir is near the town of Silves, where a lorry driver saw a woman handing a child like Maddie over to a man two days after she went missing.

Francisco Mendes, a lake day-tripper, said: 'I saw the police and went to find out what was going on.