Investigators in Portugal have uncovered a potentially critical piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation into Madeleine McCann’s disappearance: a semi-automatic firearm found near the former home of Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in the case.

The 6.35 calibre weapon was recovered during last week’s coordinated search of scrubland near Brueckner’s old cottage in the Algarve, not far from where three-year-old Madeleine vanished in 2007. Continues…