‘We heard things had come to light in investigations.’

Madeleine McCann’s parents Kate and Gerry were stopped by police from giving £250,000 to help search for then-missing Shannon Matthews

PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA via Getty Images

Madeleine McCann’s parents Kate and Gerry were stopped by police from giving £250,000 to help search for then-missing Shannon Matthews, it has been revealed.

The McCanns believed that Shannon’s family, including her mother Karen, were going through the trauma of having lost their daughter and so set about exploring a donation from a £1m fund.

A source close to Kate told The Sun: “She was deeply upset by Shannon’s abduction and felt sorry for the family. She wanted to help.”

Karen Matthews, pictured during the search for her daughter Shannon, had made several public appeals

Nigel Roddis / Reuters

An approach by someone claiming to represent Karen Matthews was made to the McCanns in person, pleading with them to transfer cash.

Consideration of a donation was so advanced that trustees of the McCann fund began exploring which name to put on a cheque.

But at that stage, police told them a donation to the Matthews was ill-advised.

McCann spokesperson Clarence Mitchell told The Sun: “Police advised us not to hand over money.

“We heard things had come to light in investigations.

“It is beyond belief anyone could’ve sought to exploit poor Madeleine’s plight.”

“It is beyond belief anyone could’ve sought to exploit poor Madeleine’s plight.”

– Clarence Mitchell, McCann spokesperson

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished in 2007 from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz as her parents dined with friends at a tapas bar nearby.

The McCanns have spoken of their bitter regret about leaving her and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie alone.

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished in 2007 from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz

Ho New / Reuters

The missing girl would now be a teenager.

The family has never given up the search for their daughter and remain hopeful she is alive.

It comes just days after it was reported Matthews had blasted the McCanns.

Julie Bushby, who coordinated the search for missing Shannon, told the Huddersfield Daily Examiner Matthews had raged: “We’re too lower class for them”, adding “it’s one rule for them and another for us, but she [Kate McCann] was a dreadful mum.”