Madeleine McCann: Operation Grange leader Andy Redwood to quit effort to find Maddie

The top cop leading British efforts to find Madeleine McCann is to stand down from the role.

Detective chief inspector Andy Redwood is retiring from the Metropolitan Police, meaning Operation Grange needs to find a new leader.

He will quit before Christmas, during a potentially crunch time for the investigation into the missing child.

Officers from Operation Grange are due to interview 11 people next week about what they know of Madeleine's disappearance.

Announcing his retirement, Redwood said: "After careful consideration and a full and rewarding career in the Met the time is right for me to move on.

"The past three and a half years leading Operation Grange has been an extraordinary privilege, and I leave the investigation in the very capable hands of my experienced colleague Nicola."

Replacing him as head of Operation Grange will be DCI Nicola Wall.