British newspapers have reported that the cost of Scotland Yard’s investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann is set to reach £2 million, with the bill being picked up by the UK’s Home Office.

The force’s homicide squad is examining the case after Prime Minister David Cameron called them in last May at the request of Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate.

A spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann said: “They have always been very appreciative of the time and resources that the British police and Home Office have committed to the search for Madeleine and they are grateful that the review is ongoing.”

Meanwhile, American crime profiler Pat Brown arrived in the Algarve on February 6 to “search for locations” where missing Madeleine might be.

Writing on her blog, she said: “I plan to survey the area and then reanalyse the crime based on what I learn. Then, I plan to search in locations I believe Maddie may be.

“I can accomplish the first part of the plan within 10 days. The second part is unlikely to be fully accomplished and may require my return to Portugal if I think another search has merit.”

Although Pat Brown does not believe the odds are great in finding Madeleine on her trip, she hopes to increase her knowledge of what exactly did happen on the evening of Madeleine’s disappearance, in order to unearth information that could move the case forward.

She states online that she will be updating her findings as and when she can.

For more information about Pat Brown and what she believes has happened to Madeleine, please see: http://patbrownprofiling.blogspot.com