Maddie McCann

I feel so sorry for these poor parents - how terrible to be in a position where your toddler has gone missing, let alone missing in a foreign country.

But ...

Everyone, particularly in the British Press, is pointing the finger at the Portuguese police, saying how slow they were to react, how little progress thay are making and so on. No-one questions the responsibility of the parents who left three children under the age of four unattended in a hotel room, some distance from where they were dining, in the first place.

As a parent of young children, I just can't understand how two intelligent people, who are obviously not strapped for cash, didn't take the children to dine with them, order room service or at very least make use of the babysitting service on offer at the hotel.

As I said, I have every sympathy for this couple and hope little Maddie is found and returned to her parents quickly and safely. But I hope this is a learning experience for anyone who even considers for a moment that leaving kids alone in a strange hotel room in a strange country while they go out is a viable option.