the disappearance of Madeleine five years ago is calling on Portuguese police to reopen their inquiry into the case. Releasing an age-enhanced image of Madeleine ? as she nears her ninth birthday on 12 May ? Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, of Scotland Yard's homicide and serious crime command, said: "We genuinely believe there's a possibility that she is alive. I want to make a direct appeal. If you know where Madeleine McCann is or if you have any direct information or evidence about what happened to her, then please make contact." Redwood and his 37-strong team have identified 195 missed investigative opportunities in the 40,000 pieces of evidence they have examined from the Portuguese inquiry, the family's home force in Leicestershire, and the information gleaned by a team of private detectives hired by the McCann family since Madeleine went missing, aged three, from the resort of Praia de Luz on 3 May 2007. "We are in a unique position seeking to draw together the three key strands of information about her disappearance," said Redwood. He unequivocally dismissed the conspiracy theory ? promoted by the original Portuguese lead detective Goncalo Amaral ? that Madeleine's parents had anything to do with her disappearance. He said detectives believe Madeleine was abducted in "a criminal act by a stranger". Madeleine's parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, worked closely with the Met to produce the new image of their daughter. "Kate says she can see Madeleine's brother and sister Sean and Amelie in it as