By Caroline Gammell
Last Updated: 8:55PM BST 27/05/2008

Portuguese Police will not go ahead with a reconstruction of the night Madeleine McCann disappeared.

Kate and Gerry McCann had not planned to return to Portugal for the reconstruction of the night Madeleine disappeared

According to Sky News reports, the controversial plan was abandoned after several members of the ‘Tapas Seven’ were not able to attend.

Kate and Gerry McCann had already decided not to return to Portugal for the reconstruction of the night of their daughter went missing.

The couple said the re-enactment would do “absolutely nothing” to help find their daughter, who was three when she vanished from the family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in May 2007.

Mr and Mrs McCann, who are arguidos or suspects in their daughter’s disappearance, had been asked by Portuguese police to return to the Algarve along with the seven friends on holiday with them at the time.

Detectives wanted to stage a reconstruction at the Ocean Club complex where the McCanns were dining, leaving Madeleine and her younger siblings in the unlocked apartment nearby.

But the couple, from Rothley in Leicestershire, have decided not to go back.

A source close to the McCanns said: “There are no plans for Kate and Gerry and their friends to return to Portugal. They have all indicated their intentions to the police.

“The reconstruction will only take place if Kate and Gerry and their friends agree to take part. If they don’t agree it will not happen.

“Kate and Gerry have had grave reservations about the value of it. If the reconstruction was going to help Madeleine, nothing in the world would stop them taking part.

“But Kate and Gerry and their friends cannot see the point of all the disruption it would cause to their busy work schedules and families if, as they believe, it will do absolutely nothing to help find Madeleine.”

The couple’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: “Kate and Gerry and their friends remain committed to doing anything to help find Madeleine.

“I don’t want to comment on what they have told police but, if they do not return to Portugal, it is because they feel it offers no value and no assistance in finding Madeleine.”

Mr Mitchell said that if the reconstruction was televised with the chance of bringing in new leads the McCanns and their friends would agree to do it.

He went on: “They would welcome a Crimewatch-style reconstruction which is properly broadcast for millions of people to see and could generate important new leads and fresh information.”

But Portuguese police said they did not want the reconstruction to be filmed.