Kate and Gerry McCann left their home in Rothley, Leicestershire, with their three children, Madeleine and her twin siblings, for a happy family holiday in Portugal on April 28.

More than four months later they finally made the emotional journey back to the UK with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, but not their eldest child.

To make the situation even worse, in the past week the McCanns have been made formal suspects in Madeleine's disappearance and warned by their lawyer they could be charged over her death.

His voice breaking, Mr McCann insisted they played no part in her disappearance after touching down at East Midlands Airport just after noon.

He said: "Whilst it is heartbreaking to return to the UK without Madeleine, it does not mean we are giving up our search. As parents we cannot give up on our daughter until we know what has happened."

The couple do not know if or when police will call them back to Portugal, although they will obey even if they fear they could be arrested, a family friend said.

"They are not running away. It is a change of place but they are very happy to help the police," the friend said. "If they need to come back for interviews, they will come back for interviews."

The family's decision to return to Britain was in large part based on their desire to maintain a sense of normality for their two youngest children.

Mr McCann said: "We want the twins, as much as is reasonably possible, to live an ordinary life in their home country, and we want to consider the events of the last few days which have been so deeply disturbing."

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