Beckham joins appeals for Madeleine

Published: 1:18PM Saturday May 12, 2007 Source: Reuters

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Former England soccer captain David Beckham appealed for help in finding Madeleine McCann, the three-year-old British girl kidnapped from a holiday resort in Portugal more than a week ago.

The Real Madrid player asked people to "please, please help" find the child, who turns four on Saturday.

Manchester United's Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, Chelsea's John Terry and Everton's Phil Neville have made similar pleas and a businessman has offered a million pound ($NZ2.6 million) reward.

"We need to do everything possible to help the police," Beckham said in a video message recorded in Madrid. "If you have seen this little girl, please could you go to your local authorities or police."

Pictures of the smiling blonde-haired girl wearing a blue Everton top have been released to try to help the inquiry. She disappeared from her bedroom in the Algarve last Thursday.

On Saturday, Celtic and Aberdeen footballers will wear yellow ribbons on their wrists during their game in Glasgow to keep the missing girl in people's thoughts.

Her father Gerry McCann used to work as a cardiologist in the Scottish city. Family members have contacted the club to highlight their plight.

"We cannot imagine the horror they are going through," Celtic captain Neil Lennon said in a televised message. "They are in our thoughts and prayers."

Health spa owner Stephen Winyard offered the million pound reward after seeing pictures of the missing girl's distraught parents, who have stayed in Portugal during the search.

"There but for the grace of God go all of us," Winyard told the Times.

Gerry and Kate McCann said on Friday they would "leave no stone unturned" in the search for their daughter.

"We have been moved by the enormous willingness of people to do all they can to help find Madeleine," Gerry McCann said.

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