PSYCHIC BARBER DENIES CONTACT

A medium dubbed the Psychic Barber has denied being contacted by the parents of Madeleine McCann for help in tracing their missing daughter.

Gordon Smith has reportedly been approached by Gerry and Kate McCann to help in the hunt for the child.

But he told Sky News that he has not spoken to anyone from the missing four-year-old's family - but said he would be willing to help if he could.

Smith - who describes himself as the seventh son of a seventh son and an "astoundingly accurate" medium - is also a barber in Glasgow, Gerry's home town.

The McCanns, from Rothley, Leicestershire, have had more than 1,000 approaches from people claiming to be mediums since Madeleine's disappearance in Portugal in May.

While any information judged to be relevant or credible has been passed on to police, the McCanns have had no direct contact with psychics.

But relatives in Scotland have reportedly been pressing the couple to meet a psychic since their return to the UK in September.

The couple, both devout catholics, are understood not to have ruled it out although nothing has been agreed.

"They are desperate for help and even some family members are suggesting it as a possible route," a friend said.

"It looks like one or two family members are saying why don't you have a look at so and so."

The family's spokesman Clarence Mitchell said he understood that "one or two in Scotland" have been in touch with family members to discuss helping them.

"But, as far as I'm aware, Kate and Gerry have not directly asked for that assistance and I understand none has been agreed," he added.

"If there is a specific piece of information that can be looked at, such as a car registration or a name, then that is checked out.

"The police do not dismiss these things entirely."

Early in the investigation Portuguese police insisted they had to consider tip-offs from people claiming to be psychics because an abductor could be using a mystic as a way to communicate with them.