Madeleine McCann's parents given access to police files

London: Kate and Gerry McCann have been given fresh hope of a breakthrough in the search for their missing daughter Madeleine after police agreed to give them access to some of their case files.

Leicestershire police will share 81 pieces of information with the couple - relating to tip-offs and possible sightings of the four-year-old received in the early stages of the investigation last year - which will now be passed on to private detectives working for the McCanns.

As the two parties reached the compromise at the High Court in London, Mrs Justice Hogg made an extraordinary plea to Madeleine's abductor to "show mercy and compassion" and reveal her whereabouts.

"There is, of course, one person who knows what has happened to Madeleine and where she may be found," she said.

Judge's appeal

"I entreat that person, whoever they may be, to show mercy and compassion and come forward now and tell us where Madeleine is to be found. I hope she will be found soon, alive and well."

The couple - currently on their first family holiday since Madeleine's disappearance in Portugal in May last year, days before her fourth birthday - had applied for the court hearing in an attempt to force Leicestershire police to disclose 11,000 pieces of information which had either been passed on to them by Portuguese police or which had come to them directly from members of the public.

They are particularly anxious to follow up any tip-offs or other leads which police may not have had the resources to investigate thoroughly.