Kate McCann

Kate McCann could now be re-interviewed this week by British police acting on behalf of the Portuguese authorities, according to reports.  But a source close to the family said no formal request had been made to the couple, whose daughter Madeleine disappeared in May. 

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is being briefed on the McCanns' case, but it is understood the couple expect no help from Mr Brown. 

A source close to the family said: "The report that police have been refused permission to bring Kate back to Portugal is interesting to hear, but so far Kate and Gerry are not aware of any discussion between the judge and police filtering through." 

Earlier the couple's lawyers issued a statement saying they had received no request for new questioning "to date". 

The judge in the case, Pedro Daniel dos Anjos Frias, rejected prosecutors' request to have the McCanns brought back to Portugal for further questioning, according to a Portuguese newspaper.  A letter of appeal will now be sent to Britain, setting out the new questions Portuguese detectives want to ask the couple, the paper reported. 

Portuguese officers are understood to be keen to sit in on any interviews in the UK as observers.  But an unnamed source told the paper there was only a "very low" probability this would happen.  A UK police source said it would be "unusual" for British officers to carry out interviews on behalf of a foreign police force but stressed "anything is possible" in a major inquiry. 

It is now 138 days since Madeleine went missing from her family's holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz. 

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