Missing Maddy loved her Guernsey holiday

MISSING Madeleine McCann has been to Guernsey.

Her parents, Gerry and Kate, are close friends with islanders Steve and Lottie Evans, who today broke their silence to help support the international search. Until now the couple, who have known the McCanns for 12 years, have kept a low profile to shield their own children - Joel, 7, and Noah, 3.

The boys are good friends with Madeleine and her family, who stayed with them during a half-term visit to the island only last October.

Six months later, on another family holiday in Portugal, Maddy was snatched from their villa in Praia da Luz, sparking a worldwide hunt for her abductors.

'We are devastated at what has happened to Madeleine, but we were torn as we wanted to protect our own children from the story as much as we could,' explained Mrs Evans.

'Joel has an idea of what is going on. He thinks Maddy got up out of bed and is lost. Now someone else loves her so much they want to keep her.

'Noah is not as aware. He keeps seeing her picture on the Town Church and asking why Madeleine's photo is there. Then he asks when is she is going to come back to Guernsey to bake cakes with him.'

The couple have been in regular contact with Kate and Gerry since the story broke on 3 May.

Steve, a consultant at the Medical Specialist Group, and Gerry, also a doctor, have been friends since they first worked together in Napier, New Zealand.

Lottie, who is a nurse, had gone there with her husband and when Kate went over to work there as a doctor and met Gerry, the four became firm friends.

After their return, they kept in touch with the McCanns and their children, including twins Sean and Amelie, who first came to Guernsey when they were four months old in 2005. Madeleine is said to have particularly loved the beach at Vazon.

'Today, Gerry and Kate are never far from our minds,' said Mrs Evans.

'We have texted them lots and called them. I think both Steve and I try not to think too much about Madeleine because it doesn't bear thinking about. We are trying to think about Gerry and Kate instead.'