Christmas plea brings Madeleine tips

ROTHLEY, England, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- A Christmas plea by the parents of Madeleine McCann shown worldwide produced hundreds of tip calls Tuesday but the British girl remained missing.

"The person who took Madeleine has it in their power to end our suffering and will be able to appease their conscience that they have done the right thing -- especially at this time of year," Gerry McCann wrote in his Internet blog, Sky News reported Wednesday.

A film also was aired showing the young girl opening gifts at the family's home in Rothley. It provoked 347 calls from the public offering information, Sky News said. The leads will be investigated by the McCanns' private detective agency, Metodo 3, based in Barcelona, Spain.

The McCann family was on vacation in Portugal May 3 when Madeleine disappeared.

Police also reportedly were looking for a sports bag belonging to Gerry McCann that allegedly had not been seen since the girl vanished, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday. Investigators think the blue bag could have been used to carry her away, the British newspaper said.

However, McCann family spokesman Clarence Mitchell denied McCann had lost a bag during the family's holiday.