Kate McCann: 'I want Madeleine to call me mum. I want most for her to be back'

Kate McCann said she wanted to hear Madeleine "call me mum" as she revealed what she wants the most regarding her missing daughter.

Madeleine McCann's mum has given evidence, while shielded in court by a curtain at the witness stand, for a trial of two women accused of stalking the missing girl's family. Kate told the court how Julia Wandelt, 24, and Karen Spragg, 61, accosted her at her family home in December last year. The mum claimed Wandelt, who is accused of claiming to be the missing girl, said "I'm your daughter'" and "she called me mum".

Kate then told jurors at Leicester Crown Court, that she received a letter from Wandelt signed 'Madeleine x' the day after the alleged visit to her home.

READ MORE: Julia Wandelt trial LIVE: Kate McCann says 'I want Madeleine back and to call me mum'

The mum was asked about the impact that letter had, sharing what was particularly difficult for her. Kate said: "That's an example of the thing that was getting to me. It's obvious the thing I want most is for Madeleine to be back, I want Madeleine to call me 'mum', so that was really distressing for me. Referring to me as her mum is hard."

This letter, shown in court, said: "Dear Mum [Kate], I'm so sorry for causing you so much distress, but when I saw you yesterday, my emotions were so strong. I felt a close connection to you. I don't like seeing you upset.

It added: "I think that inside your heart you believe and know who I am and I am your daughter. I don't understand why you don't want to do a DNA test with me."

Kate told the court that she was approached by the two defendants when she got out of her car outside her house, last year. Asked about the encounter at her home, she said: "I remember it was the weekend of really bad gales. I was getting stuff out of the boot and I heard someone call Kate. I knew it was someone behind me but didn’t know who it was. I got a fright. I had no idea who it was."

The mum claimed both Wandelt and Spragg had accosted her and alleged the 24-year-old said she was the missing girl. Kate added: "She was saying the usual stuff, 'I'm your daughter'. She called me mum. She was asking for a DNA test, pleading with me.

"I got a fright anyway and when I realised who it was I was quite distressed. I was on edge anyway, and it bubbled up. I felt quite invaded, in my home."

Polish national Wandelt is on trial accused of stalking the McCanns for over two and a half years while allegedly claiming she was the missing girl.

She is on trial alongside co-accused Karen Spragg, from Cardiff, who has been accused of one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress, after she allegedly made calls, sent letters and visited the McCann's home address. The trial continues.