London: The German paedophile suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann “repeatedly worked” at the holiday apartments in Portugal where the child vanished, documentary makers have revealed.

Christian Brueckner was said to have been employed by a company that carried out repairs at the Ocean Club, in Praia da Luz, shortly before the three-year-old British girl disappeared there in 2007.

An anonymous but “reliable” witness has told reporters at German TV channel SAT.1 that the convicted sex attacker “repeatedly carried out repair work” at the holiday apartments where Kate and Gerry McCann were staying with their children.

Producers for the show have handed police a file following “extensive research” in the Algarve resort.

In a statement to the media, the makers of SAT.1 investigativ: Neue Spuren im Fall Maddie, to be broadcast on Monday evening in Germany, said Brueckner was “very familiar” with the Ocean Club and town where the McCanns stayed.

A spokesman for the channel said: “A reconstruction of the evening of the crime and extensive research in Portugal and Germany found that Christian B was very familiar with the Ocean Club area in Praia da Luz.

“Prior to Maddie’s disappearance, he repeatedly carried out repair work at the place where the three-year-old disappeared in 2007.”

It adds how Christian Wolters, the public prosecutor leading the German side of the investigation, said: “We are grateful to the SAT.1 team for sharing certain findings with the public prosecutors’ office.