A senior police officer has revealed a Scotland Yard investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has identified a number of potential suspects.
Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell, who led a Metropolitan Police review of the six-year-old case, said a list of names of possible suspects and other information, including forensic "opportunities", would be passed to the Portuguese authorities.
The official Portuguese inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance concluded five years ago, but Scotland Yard launched its review in 2011 after David Cameron intervened on behalf of Madeleine's parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, of Rothley.
A team of 30 detectives has worked on the review since then.
Mr Campbell, who retired today as head of Scotland Yard's homicide and serious crime command, said: "The purpose of the review was to look at the case with fresh eyes and there is always real benefit in doing so.
"The review has further identified both investigative and forensic opportunities to support the Portuguese.
"There is more than a handful of people of interest which could be explored further, if only to be eliminated.
"The key things are to investigate the case and our work is happening to support the Portuguese."
Madeleine vanished from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007, as her parents dined with friends near by.
It was her 10th birthday earlier this month.
Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Mr Campbell added: "The Portuguese hopefully will pursue some of these investigative opportunities with our assistance.
"There is room for further work and collaboration to resolve the case.
"Of course, there is a possibility she is alive, you cannot exclude it.
"But the key is to investigate the case and, alive or dead, we should be able to try and discern what happened."
Detectives from the Yard's team have travelled to Portugal around 10 times to liaise with the authorities there and gather evidence in an inquiry which has cost more than £2 million, the London Evening Standard reported.
