AS the Good Doctors Kate and Gerry McCann wended their way through the world's media scrum to Faro airport and a flight home to East Midlands Airport there was a huge sigh of relief.
The sigh comes not from the McCann-weary Portuguese population or police it is from the expatriates who have second homes scattered through the Algarve region and have yachts parked at the various low-cost (compared to the Solent) marinas in the area.
As one angry now reluctant wannabe-ex expat resident, Andy Ferguson, said: "Who wants to come here with this lot going on? I was unfortunate enough to put our flat on the market in May. Three separate deals have fallen through and I have cut the price to below what we paid for it.
"This McCann business has been bloody awful. The tourist trade is on its bare backside and the sooner the press rabble gets out and away the better."
But he went further:"Everyone wants out of this. These people have soured relationships here so badly the Portuguese want us to go and we want out too. The word is they would do anything to rid themselves of this disgraceful image. All through the summer there has been a steady stream of boats heading back to Northern Europe to get away from all this."
Interesting. It all comes down to an easy life and protection of the pension plan in the end.
Esther McVey, Tory and a prospective parliamentary candidate, PR person and one-time GMTV presenter; also one of the McCann Fund trustees. Reports of disagreements.
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Is that why the Suspected Doctors went for the home run today?
The rumour mill says no money is being released to the parents by the findmadeleine.com fighting (Paypal accepted)Fund Inc. (or whatever its called). The fund's chairperson, some other so-called trustees (but the correct term would be company directors) are alleged to be more than a little nervous and there are rumours of fights with Dr Gerry.(Who, incidentally, the News of the Screws today has elevated to Heart Surgeon! That'll please the Fellows of the Royal Colleges no end). The fund is controlled by McCann relatives or family friends, including Peter Hubner, 64, a retired consultant; Gerry’s brother John McCann, 48; former GMTV presenter Esther McVey, 39, who runs a Liverpool-based PR firm; Doug Skehan, 54, a clinical director of cardiology at Glenfield Hospital, where Gerry works; Philip Tomlinson, 76, a lawyer and former Leicestershire coroner; and Brian Kennedy, 68, Madeleine’s great uncle. Of those, Ms McVey is the most acutely aware of the vital importance of: no bad-hair days, good non-smudge make-up at all times, a brilliant set of pearly white teeth, clean hands and cleaner public image. Since the media not-quite-super-star is also the one who runs a company she is, presumably, also aware of the need for scrupulous accounts and auditing.
The fund stands at £1,005,000 in donations but no-one is saying how much has already been spent. The NHS is not going to hold Gerry's job open for him forever so no doubt the pension plan looks a little tremulous. Probably not as dodgy or nervous as the Social Workers in Leicestershire, UK, who are now faced with the ultimate challenge...do we? or don't we? leave the McCann twins in the care of two people now regarded as culpable and suspects in the disappearance and possible death of their eldest child?
Another little interesting fact is my computer protection software now flags up the findmadeleine.com website as "Warning: Dangerous web site" "Category Spyware".
Now why would a 'find our daughter' combined with money begging site have spyware?