Madeleine McCann update: Police to carry out further examination on items found in search

Searchers, who are using ground penetrating radar, chainsaws, rakes, and poles, were seen removing a number of bags of potential evidence.

GB News has been told that investigators are looking for any evidence that the three year old was taken to the remote reservoir, which was visited on a number of occasions by Christian B, the prime suspect in the Madeleine investigation.

That effort not only involves searching for any sign of Madeleine's remains, but also any clothing and fabrics that may have been linked to the youngster.

When Madeleine disappeared from an apartment at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz in May 2007, she is understood to have been wearing pink pyjamas.

No items linked to the three year old have ever been recovered, despite various searches around the Praia da Luz area, and a trailer park in Hanover, Germany, where the prime suspect used to live.

The Chief German prosecutor heading the McCann investigation has said detectives have compelling evidence that Christian B not only abducted, but murdered Madeleine.

Christian Wolters said the major new search of the Arade dam was motivated by a "tip off" but would not go into the details about the nature of the information obtained by the German authorities.

The Chief Prosecutor said they would never undertake such a resource intensive new search operation lightly, and without credible information.

The items recovered in the latest search may be sent to a forensic laboratory for further examination, if investigators deem them to be of potential significance.

Today, search teams have been using chainsaws and strimmers to clear undergrowth and branches which have grown over the area in the 16 years since Madeline's disappearance.

Scotland Yard detectives, who are at the search site as official observers, have been relaying any key information back to Madeleine McCann's parents in the UK.