Madeleine McCann's father Gerry returned to his job as a consultant cardiologist, saying he and his wife Kate had done everything they could in the search for their missing daughter.

Madeleine disappeared six months ago, shortly before her fourth birthday, during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Neither Gerry, 39, nor Kate, a GP, have since worked. Gerry McCann will begin a phased return to his duties at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, initially carrying out his normal routine of academic work, MRI scanning and administrative duties before, he said, looking to rapidly increase his workload "depending on how he gets on".

The move follows months of intense media coverage and speculation about what happened the night Madeleine disappeared and about the personal lives of the McCanns, who have been named as suspects.

"Everything that we could have done personally I think we have done," Mr McCann told reporters outside the hospital.

"We have got an infrastructure and support system behind us now and to be honest, unless Madeleine is found, we are not expecting any significant developments in the near future."

He said the hospital and trust had been incredibly supportive and he was keen to get back to work.

"It was the right time for me and the family," he added. "As I said when we came from Portugal, we very much wanted to get back to a degree of normality and me going back in to my normal employment is very much part of that."

The comments were echoed by Doug Skehan, clinical director of the hospital's cardio-respiratory directorate.

"He will receive the support of colleagues and I am sure that the normal service of a busy hospital department will continue and the situation will be successful," he said.