THE mother of Madeleine McCann broke down in tears before a packed church yesterday and urged the congregation to “pray like mad” for her daughter’s safe return.

Gerry and Kate McCann marked the first anniversary of Madeleine’s disappearance by attending a service at their local church in Rothley, Leicestershire.

In an impromptu speech Kate said: “Please stay with us, stay with Madeleine and keep praying. Pray like mad.”

In an interview before the anniversary the couple revealed they had been given new hope in the search by the “massive” response to their appeal for fresh information last week.

Their team of private investigators are combing hundreds of recorded calls and e-mails for further leads.

Gerry said: “The lines have been overwhelmed; we’ve had to call additional operators in.

“Who knows what is going to be the key piece of information? The abductor does not live in isolation; the abductor was in Praia da Luz; the abductor needs food and water.”

The couple took the opportunity to reject claims that they appeared cold and unemotional in the immediate aftermath of Madeleine’s disappearance.

Kate recently viewed footage from last year and said she could not recognise herself.

Gerry added: “One week on \ Kate went to an Anglican service. I was working that day, being interviewed. And Kate was being carried; it looked like she was going to die.”

The couple believe that the anniversary could be one of the last chances to put Madeleine’s image in the public eye.

Kate said: “The media attention will wane after Madeleine’s fifth birthday later this month. Media-wise it could be our last chance.”

Brian Kennedy, the home improvements tycoon backing the McCanns, admitted yesterday that he flew to Portugal last November and spent an evening with Robert Murat, apart from the McCanns the only other official suspect. A source close to Kennedy said he was “gathering information”.

Kennedy’s lawyer, Ed Smethurst, approached Murat through a mutual friend and said that Kennedy wanted to offer him a job.

But the job offer never transpired. Kennedy spent the evening with Murat and his lawyers at his aunt’s house in Praia da Luz, discussing Madeleine’s disappearance.

He left with a “flea in his ear” after being confronted over reports that Metodo 3, the McCanns’ private investigators, had suspicions about Murat.

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