German police investigating the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann are searching an allotment near the city of Hanover.
Footage from the scene shows forensic officers and heavy machinery being used in the operation.
The site is around 60 kilometres from the city of Braunschweig, where main suspect Christian B was last registered as living.
German prosecutors have said in the past that they have evidence Christian B was involved in Madeleine's disappearance.
The prosecutors also believe Madeleine is dead.
Maik Niemtschke, who lives in Hanover, said the search began at around 6:30am local time (5:30am Irish time) and up to 100 police officers have been at the scene.
He said the main area of the search is on land where there is a bungalow - which is being used as a second home - and a garden shed.
Police officers search an allotment garden plot in Seelze, near Hannover, Germany. Picture by: Peter Steffen/AP/Press Association ImagesMr Niemtschke said the area is located between a road and a river.
He added that another area is being searched around 300 metres from the bungalow.
Julia Meyer, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office in Braunschweig, confirmed local media reports that police investigators had been at the site since Monday with an excavator.
She said: "The procedure is taking place in connection with our investigation regarding Maddie McCann."
Ms Meyer said she could not give any further details on the procedure, adding only that police would "still need some more time to finish".
Madeleine was three when she disappeared from an apartment in the town of Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2007.
A German citizen, who can be named only as Christian B, was identified as a suspect in the case last month and is being investigated.
The 43-year-old, who is currently in prison in Germany, spent many years living in Portugal.
He also lived in Praia da Luz around the time of McCann's disappearance and has two previous convictions for "sexual contact with girls".
