The parents of Madeleine McCann have promised to keep searching for her after the police investigation into her disappearance was closed and they were cleared of any involvement.

Portugal’s Attorney General announced earlier that the police investigation had been shelved.

But Kate and Gerry McCann said they would continue to “leave no stone unturned” in their search.

The case was closed because of lack of evidence but could be reopened at any time if important information comes to light, according to Fernando Jose Pinto Monteiro’s office.

The 14-month investigation uncovered no evidence of a crime by the three people named as arguidos or official suspects, the McCanns and Robert Murat.

Their arguido status has now been lifted.

Speaking at a news conference in their home town of Rothley, Leicestershire, Mrs McCann said: “We welcome the news today although it is no cause for celebration.

“It is hard to describe how utterly despairing it was to be named arguido and subsequently portrayed in the media as suspects in our own daughter’s abduction – and worse.

“Equally, it has been devastating to witness the detrimental effect this status has had on the search for Madeleine.”

Lawyers for the couple will be able to examine the police files relating to the investigation of Madeleine’s disappearance by the end of this week, according to their spokesman Clarence Mitchell.

Mrs McCann said: “We look forward to scrutinising the police files to see what has actually been done and more importantly what can still be done as we leave no stone unturned in the search for our little girl.

“We would once again urge anyone with relevant information who has not yet come forward to please do so.”

Sky’s crime correspondent Martin Brunt said Mr and Mrs McCann would be hoping to find new leads from the police file on the case.

Speaking from Praia da Luz, the resort where Madeleine went missing in May last year, he said: “The McCanns and their lawyers will still be anticipating that they should get an early sight of the police file, enough to give them and their private investigators new leads to follow.

“Everything in that file will have been investigated by Portuguese authorities to some degree.

“But the McCanns think there is a possibility in some areas that their own investigators can do better.”