Some people were very quick to think the worst about how the fund set up to find missing Madeleine McCann would be used. This newspaper's website was bombarded by ill-intentioned people who seemed to take pleasure in seeking to do down the efforts of Kate and Gerry McCann to find their daughter and to question their motives.

The release of detailed accounts of the fund for the financial year ending last March 31 should give these malicious detractors pause for thought.

The fund was launched a fortnight after the little girl, then aged three, vanished from Praia da Luz, southern Portugal, on May 3, 2007. Readers of this newspaper were very quick to rally round in response to our armbands appeal – and the significant amount raised in that way is acknowledged in the accounts. But the most important details are those covering how much was spent and how the money was used.

As we would expect, search fees, detectives' bills, legal costs and the actual running of the high-profile campaign make up the bulk of the £815,000 spent on trying to trace Madeleine.

The McCanns always said that how the money was used would be made public for all to see and they have been true to their word. Every penny has been properly accounted for and the fund has been independently audited. We hope this disclosure reassure any doubters – and help to encourage people to continue their support for this missing Leicestershire child.

Full marks to the police contingent on Leicester's St Matthew's estate. Faced with the challenge of making friends with the local children, have handed out cards with a picture of each of the estate's beat officers. The children have to track each officer down and ask them to autograph their picture. The completed cards can then be presented to their head teacher at Taylor Road Primary School in exchange for a cuddly toy, a colouring book or a set of crayons. Simple and effective!