Final attempts by private detectives searching for Madeleine McCann to interview a former Shropshire paedophile about her disappearance have failed.

Retired UK policemen Dave Edgar and Arthur Cowley flew to Germany this week hoping to speak to Raymond Hewlett, who is said to have been staying an hour’s drive from the McCann’s Portuguese holiday flat when the little girl vanished just over two years ago.

But negotiations between the private investigators and the German lawyer for Hewlett, who used to live in Wellsfield, Woodside,Telford, broke down yesterday.

Mr Edgar, who has been employed by Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann to look for their daughter, said he was “very disappointed” with the lawyer’s behaviour.

He said: “I have been attempting to speak with Raymond Hewlett to eliminate him from our investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

“He is not a suspect but I was keen to interview him because of his failing health.”

The 64-year-old is being treated for throat cancer.

Mr Edgar said: “I have tried over the past weeks to arrange this via his lawyer in Germany. These negotiations have been difficult for reasons which I do not want to go into detail about.

“Mr Hewlett’s condition has of course been deteriorating during these negotiations. I travelled to Germany yesterday in a final effort to interview Raymond Hewlett. Regrettably that interview is not possible.

“From information provided by his lawyer and other sources it is obvious that his health is such that any meaningful interview would not be possible.”

Mr Edgar, a former detective inspector, said Hewlett’s ability to answer questions accurately “must also be in doubt”. The detective said he had been told that the paedophile could only manage a 60-minute interview when to quiz him properly would take five hours.

He said he would “reconsider” his position should Hewlett’s condition “allow a proper, meaningful interview to take place”.