A Polish woman who claimed she was Madeleine McCann in an internet post that became a global sensation has apologised to the missing girl’s parents.

Julia Wendell, 21, made headlines around the world earlier this year after she uploaded her spurious theories on social media with the username ‘@IamMadeleineMcCann’.

Her claims led to Wendell even appearing on a popular US TV show after being flown across the Atlantic by American media personality Dr Fia Johansson to discuss the far-fetched possibility.

But finally she was persuaded to take a DNA test and the results proved conclusively that she had no relation to Madeleine. Today she said in a statement: ‘It wasn’t my intention to bring sadness or any other negative emotion to anyone, especially to McCann’s family.’ Wendell also issued a 17-page statement in which she apologised for the ‘sadness’ she caused the McCanns, of Rothley, Leicestershire – but then bizarrely denied that she had ever claimed she was Madeleine.