Detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have switched their focus to a third site.

Earlier, a cordon around scrubland just outside the resort of Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, which had earlier been set up by Portuguese police and searched by a British team, was taken down.

Instead, a new area was taped off in a field directly opposite the second search site.

It is reported that an object recovered during the first searches last week has been sent away for analysis. A Portuguese police source confirmed the object was being examined at a laboratory.

The source was unable to confirm what it was, but said the results from the laboratory should be known within days.

It comes after British police were back out on the ground this morning to search an area off a road between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant.

Police sniffer dogs were out on the land and then search teams formed a line and systematically searched the ground with sticks.

Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in the resort in May 2007 while her parents Gerry and Kate dined with friends nearby.

The couple from Rothley, Leicestershire, said last week "We are kept updated on the ongoing work in Portugal and are encouraged by the progress".

The new searches come after the initial scrubland site in Praia da Luz was wound down on Sunday evening.

Specialist teams had scoured the ground for seven days using radar equipment, police sniffer dogs and forensic archaeologists.

Tom Parmenter is in Praia Da Luz and spoke to Newstalk earlier.