Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are continuing their search of the home of Norfolk suspect Robert Murat following a dawn raid at his house in Portugal on Saturday .

Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are continuing their search of the home of Norfolk suspect Robert Murat following a dawn raid at his house in Portugal on Saturday .

The former car salesman, whose ex-wife Dawn Murat still lives in Hockering with their four-year-old daughter Sofia, has remained the only official suspect in the case since little Madeleine was taken more than three months ago .

On Saturday about 10 police officers, including two from Britain, began searching the land surrounding Murat's house in Praia da Luz.

Officers cleared undergrowth and cut down trees just yards from where the little girl was snatched from her family's holiday apartment.

Murat, 33, is not currently at home and the search is expected to last about four days in total.

It is not the first time Murat's property has come under scrutiny. Murat was thrown into the spotlight on May 14, 11 days after the four-year-old from Rothley, Leicestershire, went missing.

Then his home was extensively searched by officers from Portugal's investigative Policia Judiciaria and several items were taken away for analysis.

The new search comes as Madeleine's mother, Kate McCann, spoke for the first time of her regret at leaving her daughter on the night she disappeared.

“We are just so desperately sorry,” she said.

“Every hour now, I still question, 'Why did I think that was safe?'”

She revealed that as she tucked Madeleine into bed that night, the little girl said: “Mummy, I've had the best day ever. I'm having lots and lots of fun.”

Police are also investigating a possible sighting of the four-year-old in Belgium after a customer at a restaurant in Tongeren said she was “100pc sure”' she had seen the youngster.

She said the girl was with a couple, a Dutch man and an English-speaking woman, who were acting strangely and not like “normal parents.”

Police are treating the report “seriously” and are looking for DNA on a drinks bottle used by the girl.

The results from the DNA tests are expected next week and police have also issued an identikit drawing of the man based on the description given by the “trusted witness.”