The father of missing toddler Madeleine McCann said on Wednesday that British authorities had "essentially given up" on finding his daughter who disappeared during a family holiday to Portugal in 2007.
In a television interview just days before the third anniversary of their child's disappearance, Madeleine's parents Gerry and Kate McCann said they had not given up hope of finding her.
The missing girl's father called for the Government to review the case saying it was "cruel" that he and his wife had been left to lead efforts to find their child.
"It's not right that an innocent, vulnerable British citizen is essentially given up on", he told GMTV presenter Lorraine Kelly.
"And I don't think it's right that as parents, that we have to drive the search. Of course we will, but not everyone has had the same resources and support that we have had to be able to do that. And I think it's pretty cruel."
The couple have hired private detectives to continue the hunt for Madeleine who went missing when she was three from a holiday flat in Praia da Luz on the Algarve in 2007.
At the time of her disappearance, the McCanns were criticised for leaving their three children alone in the apartment while they had dinner with friends nearby.
The youngster's father said they had learned to ignore negative comments: "If we could turn back the clock and change what happened, obviously we wouldn't have done it".
"You realise you get criticised whatever you do from some quarter.
"And what you need to do is make the decisions for the right reason and do it with the best intentions and really stick to your guns", he added.
The couple believe their daughter is still alive and are releasing an information pack for people to take abroad and put up posters featuring her picture.
Madeleine's mother told the interviewer she will not give up the search until her daughter is found.
"Certainly in my heart I feel she is out there. I mean I know there is nothing to say that she isn't, so we have to carry on working and thinking like that," she said.
"If we haven't found Madeleine, if we don't know what has happened, you haven't done enough. I mean there is obviously more that can be done," added the former GP.
Copyright 2010 AFP European Edition
