New sketches of a man suspected of abducting Madeleine McCann have sparked dozens of phone calls from the public.

A police artist drew two sketches of the man based on a statement given by British holidaymaker Gail Cooper who stayed in the same resort as the McCann family last year.

The olive-skinned man was said to be seen acting suspiciously near the apartment complex in the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz where Madeleine vanished on May 3 last year.

Mrs Cooper said she saw the man walking by himself in heavy rain on the deserted beach at Praia da Luz on April 20. Later the same afternoon, she received a visit from the same man, whom she described as "disturbing".

The man was nervous and agitated and claimed to be collecting for a local orphanage, she said.

Mr Mitchell said there are similarities between the man described by Mrs Cooper and another man spotted by Jane Tanner, a friend of the McCanns, carrying a child.

Ms Tanner has offered to return to Portugal to help the police with their investigations, but that offer has not yet been accepted.

Mr Mitchell said the man in the latest sketch may not be the same man spotted by Ms Tanner but confirmed investigators want to speak to him so he can be eliminated from enquiries.

Mr Mitchell said: "We believe this man could be linked to Madeleine's disappearance. If he is innocent we want him to come forward for his own sake so he can be ruled out. We want to know who he is, where he is and we want to know that as soon as we can.

"If he isn't connected with Madeleine's abduction, he needs to come forward himself so that he can be eliminated from both the police and the private investigations that are underway."

Investigators have asked anybody with information to call 00 34 902 300 213.

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.