It's emerged that an Irish family provided police with details for e-fit images of a man wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

They were on holidays in Praia da Luz when they saw a man carrying a child in a blanket on the night she disappeared.

Tonight in a renewed television appeal on BBC's Crimewatch, police say this new suspect is being sought and have issued an e-fit image of the man.

He is described as white, clean shaven with brown hair - was seen carrying a blonde child towards the beach.

Speaking on BBC's Crimewatch, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood said these new developments have renewed hope of solving the case

Detectives investigating her disappearance have also ruled out a key sighting on the day.

Officers from Scotland Yard now say a man seen carrying a child by the McCanns' friend Jane Tanner was an innocent British holidaymaker carrying his child home from a night creche.

They are instead focusing on the other man with dark hair who was seen by the Irish couple with a blonde girl in his arms around 45 minutes later.

Three year old Madeleine disappeared from a holiday apartment while on a family holiday in Portugal in 2007.