MISSING Madeleine McCann's parents today criticised fresh reports that police believe their daughter was murdered rather than abducted.

Newspapers in Portugal have printed a series of allegations contradicting the official stance that the four-year-old was snatched from her family's holiday flat in the Algarve village of Praia da Luz on May 3. They have reported that detectives now believe she died in the apartment that night and no longer think that suspect Robert Murat was involved.

One paper has even suggested that police "intercepted" e-mails and phone calls between the McCanns and the friends on holiday with them when Madeleine vanished. Family friends said they are disgusted about what they said was a smear campaign.

Rachael Oldfield, who ate with the McCanns on the night Madeleine disappeared, said: "I think there are leaks coming from the police because a lot of what I have read has been untrue."

A McCann family spokesman said the couple had always collaborated with the Portuguese police "to the fullest extent" but have not been made aware that they are required to face fresh questioning.

He said: "Some of the statements which have been made, that the police now regard it as definitely a murder case rather than abduction, we regard as speculation because that is not what the police are saying to the McCanns."