LISBON : Portuguese police have questioned three people in their search for a missing toddler Madeleine McCann, a police source told the Lusa news agency.

"Nobody has been formally arrested for now," the source stressed on Monday night.

One of the people questioned was a Briton who lived in a villa in Praia da Luz around 100 metres from the Ocean Club complex where four-year-old Madeleine disappeared on May 3 while her parents ate in a nearby restaurant.

Investigators were particularly interested in an annex in the villa and in a mattress, Portuguese television channel Sic reported Monday.

Sky News named the man as Robert Murat while the channel showed footage of the villa cordoned off by police with investigators going in and out.

Lusa said that Murat was divorced and lived in the villa with his mother and his three-year-old son.

Media reports said the man had worked for the police in their inquiry as a translator.

British media reported that police had decided to search the house after a tip-off from Sunday Mirror journalist Lori Campbell, who found his behaviour suspicious.

"Basically he surfaced on Friday afternoon last week and was walking around as if he was somebody official. He claimed that he was just a local guy who spoke fluent Portuguese and English and was helping the family," Campbell said.

"He was coming in and out of the family apartment speaking with the media and acting like he was somebody official. But when questioned about it, he was very vague about his position."

Local translator Gaynor De Jesus and Campbell also told reporters that Murat had said he had a three or four-year-old daughter.

Police cordoned off the villa, keeping back journalists who have thronged to the area to cover a story that has sparked a outpouring of sympathy from celebrities, sports stars and the general public.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett discussed the investigation with her Portuguese counterpart Luis Amato on Monday.

"The Portuguese foreign minister and I had talks about the very difficult, terrible situation in which the McCann family have found themselves," Beckett told reporters in Brussels after a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

"What we want is to get as much attention to Madeleine's case as possible because what we want is to get her back."

Two British policemen and a criminal analyst are already helping in the search, and two British lawyers arrived in Portugal on Sunday to help the distressed parents.

"We have visibly felt a burden lifted off our shoulders since the lawyers arrived here ... This has allowed us to concentrate more on our physical and mental well-being," the girl's father Gerry told reporters.

"Until there is concrete evidence to the contrary, we believe Madeleine is safe and being looked after."

Madeleine's mother Kate said: "We can't even consider returning home at the moment, we can't let it even enter my head."

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Virgin business tycoon Sir Richard Branson have offered a total of 2.5 million pounds in rewards for the return of Madeleine.

Scottish businessman Stephen Winyard has offered one million pounds, The News of the World has pledged 250,000 pounds, and retail billionaire Sir Philip Green has also offered a financial reward.

Football stars including David Beckham have made public pleas for the girl's return.

- AFP/yy