Madeleine McCann search: Sniffer dogs brought in to help with scrubland dig.The two English spaniels, named Tito and Muzzy, are victim detection dogs who were also used in the search for murdered schoolgirl April Jones.
South Wales Police sniffer dog Muzzy searching scrubland in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
Sniffer dogs are being used to search an area of scrubland close to where Madeleine McCann disappeared in Portugal seven years ago.
British officers, accompanied by their Portuguese counterparts, are spending a second day investigating the hilly area in the resort of Praia da Luz on the Algarve, in an unprecedented operation initiated by Scotland Yard.
Two sniffer dogs joined British police for around five minutes on a flat area of the scrubland, at the bottom of a slope.
The two English spaniels, named Tito and Muzzy, were then taken away out of sight while around 10 officers stood around in discussion.
They were then brought out again and spent a few minutes in the long grass as their handlers looked on.
South Wales Police confirmed that two specialist dog handlers and victim detection dogs were helping with the investigation.
The dogs were also used during the search for murdered schoolgirl April Jones in 2012, the force said.
Victim detection dogs can be used for finding hidden bodies as well as searching for people in disasters, and can be used in a variety of locations, including buildings, open areas and vehicles.
WPC Sally Richards and Tito search scrubland on the outskirts of Praia da Luz.
Specialist police teams are thought to be using ground-penetrating radar equipment to probe the search area, looking for disturbed earth.
The large section of land is being guarded day and night by armed local police with dogs, and a large yellow-and-white cordon was put in place ahead of the search for clues about Madeleine, who disappeared in May 2007 when she was just three-years-old.
The land, a few minutes' walk from the Ocean Club resort apartment where Madeleine was staying with her family, has been searched before.
A number of small tents have been erected inside the cordon, thought to be where officers are concentrating their efforts.
Around six Portuguese police vans could be seen on top of a large mound in the middle of the scrubland, which overlooks the sea.
The cordon was lowered down for two hired vans to drive in and they then reversed along a track before stopping near two blue tents.
TV crews and journalists from around the world were gathered at the cordon as the search takes place.
A British officer in plain clothes spent time studying a flat area which had been marked with tape.
He put gloves on before using a tool to make holes in the ground.
A small yellow flag could already be seen poking out within the taped section.
Local police officers on horseback patrolled the area while others had German shepherd dogs.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/madeleine-mccann-search-sniffer-dogs-3640157303
