Kate and Gerry McCann

Thousands of people have joined a sickening "hate group" on Facebook which pokes fun at missing
Madeleine McCann.

The page on the social networking website has about 6,500 "fans", several of whom have posted obscene jokes about the little girl.

Others have directed abuse at her parents, Gerry and Kate.

Facebook said it had begun to remove the most offensive postings yesterday after being alerted by the Leicester Mercury.

However, it said it would not be pulling down the page, nor removing many other offensive comments.

The founder of the page, which was set up in late February, has posted regular updates, boasting about the number of members it has attracted and suggesting he or she knows where Madeleine is.

In one entry, the person writes: "(This) seems to be the place people have chosen for disrespectful Maddie jokes, and I LIKE it!!"

Gerry and Kate McCann, from Rothley, said yesterday they hoped Facebook would remove any "libelous or deeply offensive" comments, but they said they would not be commenting further.

Their spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said: "We simply will not dignify these sorts of sites with any kind of comment whatsoever.

"Their disgraceful nature speaks for itself."

In a statement, Facebook said that while it would always take down indecent comments about children as soon as it was made aware of them, other potentially offensive comments would not be removed.

The company said: "While we sometimes find people discussing and posting about topics that others may find controversial, insensitive or even offensive, it is not alone a reason to remove the discussion.

"The unfortunate reality is that ignorance still exists, both on and off Facebook, and we believe such ignorance won't be defeated simply by covering up the fact it exists but rather by confronting it head on."

The page had gained 17 new "fans" yesterday by 5pm.

The Leicester Mercury learned about the group after a concerned Facebook member got in touch.

They did not wish to be named, but said: "We find it sickening that people have such a terrible attitude to other people's grief."

Members were posting jokes on the page as recently as Wednesday.

A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Constabulary said it would not comment on the page because the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance was being led by Portuguese police. Madeleine went missing from Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007