Madeleine McCann's parents are refusing to comment on astonishing claims made about their daughter's disappearance on ITV show This Morning.

During yesterday's broadcast Mark Williams-Thomas, an investigative journalist and former police officer, claimed the youngster "left her holiday apartment and went searching for her parents at a nearby tapas bar" on the night that she went missing.

READ MORE: Shocking new Madeleine McCann theory revealed on This Morning

He said: "On that morning of Madeline’s disappearance, we do know she went to Gerry and Kate and said: ‘Where were you last night?’”, he explained.

Glasgow Times:

"Now the interesting element in that is in order to get to the tapas bar you had to actually come out of the premises, walk on a public road to go back in again.

"And that raises a concern I have in regards to Madeleine I believe woke up in the middle of the night, she went looking for Gerry and Kate and she left the apartment and went out.

"Because we know the patio door at the back was insecure."

READ MORE: Shocking new Madeleine McCann theory revealed on This Morning

Host Phillip Schofield then explained to viewers: "Legally we have to leave it there."

However, today the McCann’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "This is pure speculation and as such Kate and Gerry will not be dignifying it with any sort comment whatsoever."

Madeleine disappeared from a holiday home in Portugal's Algarve region in May 2007, days before her 4th birthday.

Portuguese police closed the investigation after detecting no evidence of a crime but British police are still looking into it.

Madeleine's disappearance sparked global interest as pictures of her and her grieving parents were published around the world.