The agony that the family and friends have experienced over the past year is unimaginable and the worst thing for them must be not knowing anything,. If there was any hint of where she might be, the hurt might subside slightly.

Well wishers will try to speak words comfort to help Kate and Gerry McCann, sometimes you wonder if that would make them feel worse, feel more guilt because Madeleine was taken from them.

It also hasn’t helped that the intense scrutiny by the media, and the authorities, has caused so much doubt that on many occasions there has been suspicion that they are to blame and know exactly where their daughter is.

How do you prove something like that? I think in these situations you can only be honest with yourself and with those around you and hope that your character in the end will see you through and help turn the doubts around and to try and focus on finding their daughter.

The message at services of remembrance in Leicester and Liverpool has been “Pray like mad for our Madeleine”

I would advise that we all do that.