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These heart-rending pictures show the parents of missing Madeleine McCann at a prayer meeting to mark the anniversary of the youngster disappeared.

Kate and Gerry McCann have thanked supporters for keeping Madeleine in their heart as they mark nine years since the three-year-old went missing during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007.

The prayer meeting was held in their home village of Rothley in Leicestershire.

Writing on their official website, Find Madeleine, they released a statement saying: "As yet another anniversary comes around, we'd like to thank all our supporters for your continued help and commitment in the search for Madeleine, and the hope for her safe return.

"It has been a very long time but the investigation continues, information is still forthcoming and our hope and resolve continue. Until we have answers, until there is news (real news!), there will always be hope and we will continue to do everything we can to help find Madeleine."

(Image: PA)

(Image: Paul Tonge)

They added: "Thank you for supporting Missing People and for keeping Madeleine in your heart."

It comes as music stars including Lesley Garrett, Rick Astley and Jodie Prenger join forces with a choir of families whose loved ones went missing for a charity single to help raise awareness of some of the UK's missing children - including Madeleine.

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(Image: Paul Tonge)

Never Gonna Give You Up singer Astley, opera singer Lesley Garrett and talent show winner Prenger and a host of other household names are teaming up with the Missing People Choir in a bid to drum up support for their missing child campaign.

Parents and loved ones involved in the single include the mother of schoolgirl Alice Gross who was missing for a month before she was found murdered and Nicki Durbin, whose son Luke went missing 10 years ago this month.

(Image: Getty)

The McCanns encouraged supporters to download the track, called I Hope, in their statement today.

The song highlights the heartbreak facing families with missing loved ones and the often agonising hope of seeing them again.

Nineties singer Chesney Hawkes, who also features on the track, said: "I feel honoured to be joining the Missing People Choir on this single.

(Image: Roland Leon / Daily Mirror)

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"The power of the lyrics really brings home the struggle faced by those families living in limbo, hoping that their child will one day come back to them."

Ms Durbin said: "It's a hugely emotional time for me and my family as we reach 10 years since we last saw my beautiful boy.

"It would be truly wonderful for families like mine if the public would put their support behind this single and show the world that Luke and all these missing children are not forgotten."

The song will be released on May 20 to mark International Missing Children's Day on May 25 with all profits going to the charity Missing People's Find Every Child campaign.