Madeleine was three when she was last seen while on holiday with her parents in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

British police launched their own investigation, Operation Grange, in 2013 after a Portuguese inquiry failed to make progress.

Force bosses have been applying for funding from the Home Office every six months to continue the inquiry, which has cost about €13 million.

Last November, a further €175,000 was granted.

On Thursday, Commissioner Cressida Dick confirmed the Metropolitan Police had applied for more Home Office funding.

She said: "We have active lines of inquiries and I think the public would expect us to see those through.

"A very small team continues to work on this case with Portuguese colleagues and we have put in an application to the Home Office for further funding."

National newspaper Correio da Manhã meanwhile reports this morning that Portuguese detectives have started looking into new evidence pointing to Madeleine’s abduction.

Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have always pledged never to give up the search for their daughter.