Photograph of missing Madeleine used to advertise holidays

A voucher website has been branded "deeply insensitive" after using a photograph of missing Madeleine McCann to promote discounted holidays.

The photograph of Madeleine appears on the homepage of VoucherDigg, which offers codes and discounts for products from a variety of companies.

The photograph is used next to the words: £20 - Great discount on holiday bookings'. Once the user gets past the icon, the website goes on: 'Hurry up time is limited. Take the ones you loved and enjoy your life.'

The spokesman for Gerry and Kate McCann, Clarence Mitchell, told ITV News efforts were being made to have the image removed but so far they had been unable to get hold of the those operating the website.

Lawrence Hunt, Chief Operating Officer at lowcostholidays.com, which the promotion advertises, told the Daily Mirror he was "outraged" the image had been linked to his firm and that initial inquiries had traced the picture to a Chinese marketing company.

He said: “We have broken all the links from their site to ours and have contacted them to remove this content."

Last week police released an artificially aged image of Madeleine, as she might look now, saying they still hope to find the missing girl alive.

The e-fit shows Madeleine, who went missing in Portugal almost five years ago, as she would look two weeks ahead of her ninth birthday.

Scotland Yard urged Portuguese authorities to reopen the search for Madeleine, after UK detectives said they currently have their "best chance" of solving the case.